Their most popular wine, a sweet, fresh, fruity wine with a clean, tangy finish.
Detailed Info, Previous Vintage Notes, Reviews:
THE WINE
Eastern Washington's low annual rainfall and cool nights during the growing season make it the perfect
area for producing consistently great late harvest wines. Hogue has developed a style with Late Harvest
White Riesling that includes a moderate level of sweetness, richness, viscosity and crisp balancing acidity
with just a hint of complexity from the noble rot, Botrytis cinerea. The 2003 bottling was produced from
our best Riesling vineyards, which have the ability to ripen to the required 24+ Brix level. At that level of
ripeness the wine develops its trademark tangerine/apricot flavors and being grown in the cooler climate of
Washington State it retains its acidity and crispness. The 2003 Late Harvest White Riesling has aromas
and flavors of dried apricot, tangerine, orange peel, vanilla, raisin, and powdered sugar. The wine has
good sugar to acid balance. Pair it with fruit sorbets, poached pears or hot apple pie.
THE VINTAGE AND VINEYARDS
A normal spring was followed by a hotter than average summer. Cool weather in early September drew
out the harvest, allowing for a longer hang time for the grapes. This was followed by one of the warmest
and driest Octobers ever recorded for Eastern Washington allowing for excellent ripening in the Riesling.
Because of the dry conditions in Eastern Washington, botrytis levels at harvest were low and the finished
wine has brilliant fruit flavors. Few other Rieslings can boast the intense apricot and tangerine flavors found
in our Columbia Valley grapes. Harvest lasted from September 18 to October 17, and the grapes came
predominately from vineyards located in the coolest Washington growing region, the Yakima Valley.
THE WINEMAKING
To preserve the lovely fruit qualities of this wine, the juice was fermented entirely in stainless steel, using
Epernay II, GRE, and BA11 yeast at temperatures of 48-60? F. The wine was bottled in December 2003
for January 2004 release.
For a nice. light, low after taste wine, it's perfect! more...
The Best Reisling around with NO...
Feb 11, 2006
Gina D.
Havelock No US
This wine is for those who like it sweet and with no after taste.
Often times wine has too much of a punch for those who don't
drink very often and/or... more...
