Our friend, Rick Allen, brewmaster of Heater/Allen beer describes the Ana Riesling... Initially rather reticent, but in a few minutes, aromas of apricot, orange blossom, and petrol emerge. Explosive and concentrated mandarin orange, key lime, and peach flavors fill the palate with the orange flavors lingering in the long and sassy finish. The mouth-feel is rich, while at the same time, the wine’s balanced acidity keeps it light and refreshing. Fabulous now, this wine will reward further aging.
P.S. I love this wine!
The Riesling vines at the Ana Vineyard were planted in 1975 by Arthur and Vivian Weber, when they still owned the property. In fact Riesling was the first variety they planted.
With it’s Jory soil and prestigious Dundee Hills location, it soon became abundantly obvious that Pinot Noir planted in this spot would have widely been considered the “highest and best use” of the land. But Arthur and Vivian never pulled out the Riesling to replace it with Pinot, and even after they sold a portion of their vineyard to Andy Humphreys (Andy renamed his portion Ana) he didn’t either.
Sentimental? Maybe. Smart? Definitely.
It surprised Rob when Andy asked if we wanted a half-acre of his Riesling, as he hadn’t made a Riesling since he left Erath. Nonetheless, Rob had been inspired by the magical nuances our old friend Jimi Brooks seemed to be able to coax out of the wine, and wanted to give it a go. Sure enough, remembering Jimi’s style served well. Rob called for the fruit to be picked on October 26th, right along with the Ana Pinot Noir – this is early for Riesling, but he wanted to be sure that the fruit retained its bright acidity and vibrant backbone. And voila!
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