Best Buy! Riesling zealot Nicolas Quillé grew up in France’s Rhône Valley and raised with an appreciation for Alsace. Among his dozen or so expressions of Riesling is this dessert, made in an ice wine style but with a cryogenic approach. Organic berries from iconic Wallula Vineyard in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills were plucked at at 22.5 Brix, then frozen and pressed into this ambrosia that finished at 17.8% residual sugar. Aromas hint at a lemon bar fresh out of the oven, joined by apricot glacéed, honey, vanilla and cinnamon. On the palate, it’s akin to peach yogurt with the pith and acidity of tangerine, leading out with a sip of Orange Julius. The results are remarkable for this winemaking method – round, lush and deliciously sweet with solid acidity amid a rich finish. It slides all the way to the right on the International Riesling Foundation’s Riesling Taste Profile, and suggested pairings range from fruit tarts to cheesecake to blue cheese.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 1,087 cases
Alcohol: 9.5%
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