Creamy and delicious, but at the same time maintaining the austerity not only us 1%ers demand, but also as I would expect from not only this producer, and the variety itself. Deep golden in the glass, with ample sparkle, it smells quite like vintage Champagne: toasty and nutted, fruit a dusty slather of Christmas apples and buttered rolls.
The sprite of the body offsets the juiciness and voluptuousness, a sharp zing inflicting delicate bitter rasp to the round, mouth-filling creaminess, adding many points for texture and balance. Drinking it in the low-60’s pulls rich plum down a stony path; at 50° the tongue is not necessarily dulled, but the full, rich body becomes a tingly monster. The sharpness at lower temperatures obfuscates the fruit, but I know few people will drink this at 60+. Sorry for them. I’m not going to try it at ice-bucket temps–and neither should you. Wine like this contains so much beauty at cool-cellar levels it’s a shame to harshen the potential.
I know I’ve been hard on this label’s whites several times in the past–and Riesling would not be my first choice to inject bubbles into–but this is a beautiful sparkling white. An absolute winner that will win applause everywhere you open it.
2014 FORLORN HOPE ‘Heinzelmann’ Riesling Kick On Ranch Santa Barbara Co. 12.50
Stephen McConnell 