488552 Mon Feb 11 10:50:57 -0800 2008 18 34 Wine 0 3385942 Costco has Holy Cow Riesling which is produced by K Vintner's under the Charles Smith label, does anyone know if this is the same as the Kung Fu Girl Riesling, just bottled under a different label. Anyway, I really have enjoyed the Holy Cow Riesling and it's only $5.97 a bottle at Costco. Mon Feb 11 10:50:57 -0800 2008 165106 trigirl2 1 3386245 Well I've seen the Holy Cow Chardonnay and Holy Cow Merlot. I assume the Holy Cow Riesling fits into that same level. I think the Kung Fu Girl was intended to be a step higher. Mon Feb 11 11:59:41 -0800 2008 3385942 86802 vanillagorilla 1 3404389 No, Holy Cow and Kung Fu Girl are different bottlings of Riesling. The latter is better but the former is a great buy for the quality. Charles Smith seems to be doing some interesting things lately. Sat Feb 16 12:14:28 -0800 2008 3385942 166668 chazuke 1 3416071 Both are made by Charles Smith of famed K-Vintners to cover different price points. They are not the from the same vineyard. He is on a mission to spotlight WA Riesling since he believes that riesling grapes will do well here. Wed Feb 20 06:44:18 -0800 2008 3385942 163530 tedfood 2 3452218 WA Rieslings ...will do well here? They are doing well here and the growth has just begun. (where've ya been? heh) Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, CA just built a new winery in Richland WA, Pacific Rim. They are producing nothing but Riesling. Also, Grahm had planted over 123 acres of Riesling in the Wallula Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills region in WA. Not to mention the Riesling that has recently been planted for Long Shadows winery all around the State of Wa. Sun Mar 02 12:08:19 -0800 2008 3416071 91889 Walla2WineWoman 1 3426009 I just had the Holy Cow a few weeks ago and wasn't very impressed, but at that price point, I guess I shouldn't complain. Fri Feb 22 18:22:37 -0800 2008 3385942 147904 phizzak 2 3429418 That is sad, because the Kung Fu Girl is one of the better domestic Rieslings I've had. Sun Feb 24 08:42:19 -0800 2008 3426009 86802 vanillagorilla 3 3453479 Huh? You need to broaden your Riesling horizons - heh. Try St Michelle/Dr. Loosen's and definitely Poet's Leap Riesling from Long Shadows. Poet's Leap is made by Armin Diehl a renown Riesling winemaker from Germany who flies into Washington State and produces the Poet's Leap label just for Long Shadows winery in the state of WA. Sun Mar 02 19:47:53 -0800 2008 3429418 91889 Walla2WineWoman 4 3454621 I haven't had Poet's Leap, but I think the Eroica is overrated. I just don't think Washington makes a very good German style riesling. Don't get me wrong I LOVE German riesling, but I don't think it is easily imitated elsewhere. I think the ones that mimic Alsace or Austria are better here. The Kung Fu Girl seemed much more Alsatian to me. It's just my opinion though. Mon Mar 03 09:04:23 -0800 2008 3453479 86802 vanillagorilla 5 3455417 But when you say "German style" what exactly do you mean? If you are making wine in Washington State and using Washington fruit, and have a German winemaker, known for his Riesling, fly into the State of WA to make the wine, then how much more German style can you get - - unless it is produced in Germany? Or are you referring to a dry Riesling? Mon Mar 03 12:00:06 -0800 2008 3454621 91889 Walla2WineWoman 6 3455714 By German Style, I mean a light fairly fruity wine with high acidity to balance the sugar and very low alcohol. Most Washington riesling I've had does light and fruity quite well. The acid is usually ok, but in the best examples balances the sugar pretty well. The problem I have is the alcohol. Great German riesling is going to be under 11% usually, sometimes as low as 8%. The Washington wines are always much higher. For some reason I just can't handle the big fruit, big sugar, big acid, and big alcohol. Just one too many bigs I guess. When I say Alsatian style riesling I don't even necessairly mean a dry riesling, as many examples from Alsace do have residual sugar. What I mean is one that isn't perceived as sweet. German Riesling and most of the Washington riesling I've had is perceptibly sweet. What I've had from Alsace and Austria is not (even when it has residual sugar). I guess I don't think Washington fruit is very well served imitating Germany. I like all the German Dr. Loosen wines I've had, but the ones he's made with Washington fruit just don't do it for me. Mon Mar 03 13:04:55 -0800 2008 3455417 86802 vanillagorilla 7 3459652 Well, if you think that Washington fruit isn't very well served by imitating Germany, hold on to your cork because you are going to see a lot more Rieslings coming out of the state of WA. ;-) But I do understand what you mean. And the problem is, of course as you know, the difference in climate. Washington State has longer growing days than Germany and in fact even longer than California. This produces bigger and more intense grapes which can mean more sugar. If they try to make the Riesling with less sugar the alcohol of course is going to be higher. I do think that to the advantage of Washington Rieslings is the higher acidity as it seems to create a good balance for the sweeter Rieslings. If you get an opportunity, do try the Poet's Leap from Long Shadows - - I love-love-love that Riesling. Tue Mar 04 13:25:53 -0800 2008 3455714 91889 Walla2WineWoman 6 3459712 I think that eroica is closer to mosel rieslings than any american riesling that I've had. Some acidity, but still lacks complexity and that minerality that i love. never tried kung fu or poet's leap but i will. Tue Mar 04 13:41:41 -0800 2008 3455417 53967 chrisinroch 5 3468356 It's unrealistic to expect German-style rieslings to be made outside of Germany. Their rieslings have a distinctive flavor profile that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. Washington state rieslings need to be appreciated on their own merits. Yes, the alcohol levels are higher here than in German wines, but our latitude is responsible. Thu Mar 06 20:29:53 -0800 2008 3454621 166668 chazuke 6 3469529 I agree I don't expect German-style riesling to be made outside of Germany. My problem is that too many Washington producers seem to be trying to imitate the German wine. I think they'd be better served imitating Austria (no residual sugar) or Alsace (residual sugar left in direct proportion to the acid, such that the wine is perceived as dry). In fact I'd say the Wachau is the best place to imitate. The peach flavors remind me of Washington, and they seem to be big (well over 13% Alcohol). I don't mind the high alcohol (to a degree). And I don't mind residual sugar. I just have a problem with the wine is high in acid, high in sugar, super fruity, and high in alcohol. At that point it loses the varietal character for me. Fri Mar 07 09:22:27 -0800 2008 3468356 86802 vanillagorilla 7 3469705 I'm not so sure it's sound to say that Washington producers are imitating anyone. They're producing wine with the fruit that is being grown locally and no way can you imitate in WA what is coming out in Austria. As Riesling grows in numbers around WA you are going to see more dry Rieslings. And as far as the wine that is high acidity, welcome to Washington grapes. Fri Mar 07 10:13:05 -0800 2008 3469529 91889 Walla2WineWoman 8 3469940 I would argue that they are imitating Germany. In a lot of tasting rooms and wine tasting events here, I've been told they were going for a German style off-dry wine. Maybe they aren't telling the truth when they say that, but it's what I hear. I agree the Washington wines have great acid. That is a big plus. What I don't like is when producers leave even more sugar in the wine because there is so much acid. It's okay for the wine to be acidic... I don't need you to leave enough sugar to make it taste sweet. I wish more producers would make a 13-13.5% bone dry exceedingly racy riesling. Maybe not an imitation of Austria, but a guide. I think New Zealand has done this quite well with their riesling. I'd also like to see producers leave residual sugar, but not so much that it tastes sweet. I do enjoy sweet German riesling, but part of the reason that I do is that they are so light. In Washington we tend to lose the lightness, which leaves me feeling overwhelmed when the sugar levels are high. It could be my palette is just not marketable. I would love to drink more Washington wine. Right now only about 25% of what I buy is from the state (with an extra 5% or so from Oregon). That compares with over 40% from France. I have had some riesling that I really enjoyed from here though. I thought Steppe Cellars does a great job with the regular bottling and especially their late harvest dessert wine. Like I've said before, I really liked the Kung Fu Girl. Sagelands also makes a riesling that I enjoyed. When I'm buying a white wine for a dinner party, I frequently grab Chateau Ste Michelle Dry Riesling (it's great for cooking with too). Fri Mar 07 11:02:45 -0800 2008 3469705 86802 vanillagorilla 9 3469985 Well the good news for you is at least you found some Rieslings you enjoy, but I would say - - be patient. I think in the future you are going to find some more Rieslings (dry) that you will enjoy. Fri Mar 07 11:13:46 -0800 2008 3469940 91889 Walla2WineWoman 2 3453093 I'm with you, Phiz. Sun Mar 02 17:29:42 -0800 2008 3426009 161733 Finspot