Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006     
Eroica Riesling   $23
 
Riesling is all too often a misunderstood and ignored great white wine, but our wine of the week will certainly change that! 

We’ve found one for you from the great state of Washington, Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 2006 Eroica Riesling.

Starting with a burst of peach-like flavor when you sip and ending with a brisk finish that let’s a citrusy tingle linger, this is a wine of balance and surprise. It can caress a wide variety of foods which makes it ideal for holiday gatherings when the smoked turkey and honey hams are on the carving board. 

Eroica Riesling is a partnering of American devotion to the explosive fruit with Old World acidity and intensity along with just the hint of sweetness that makes it so versatile, and at about twenty three dollars a bottle,  easy to serve. All this from a winery that has led the way for American Riesling.

Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Eroica Riesling.  

Pop the Cork™.Wine on the Radio - November 23, 2007

Winemaker's notes and comments:

Eroica is the result of a special partnership of German and American winemakers to craft an extraordinary Riesling from Washington State grapes. This is more than a blend of two estates, Dr. Loosen from the Mosel and Chateau Ste. Michelle from the Columbia Valley: It's an intermingling of Old World and New World philosophy and technique. Eroica reflects not only its variety and site, but also its heritage: bold and forward from its Washington roots, elegant and refined from German inspiration. Named for Beethoven's Third Symphony, Eroica is truly a concert of Old World and New World Riesling.

"The 2006 Eroica delivers fresh mandarin orange and lime aromas and flavors with subtle mineral and slate notes. This Eroica shows the warm vintage through its slightly richer, bolder style than the previous vintage. Although slightly more fruit forward, the 2006 Eroica still achieves complexity from the diverse mix of vineyards we source from - including higher elevation vineyards on the fringes of the Columbia Valley, as well as the more traditional older vines from the Yakima Valley."
- Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

Eroica begins in the vineyard with Ernst Loosen and Chateau Ste. Michelle winemaker Bob Bertheau collaborating on site selection, irrigation management, crop levels and canopy management.

They work with vineyard managers to adjust yields and manage fruit exposure to prolong the ripening season for added flavor development of these cooler climate vineyards. Vineyards in eastern Washington’s cooler Yakima Valley provide the backbone for Eroica with amazing acidity and minerality. Viewcrest is the pinnacle of these vineyards, making the blend in large percentages year after year.

A newer vineyard in the Eroica blend is Evergreen Vineyard near the town of George, Washington, which contributes crisp lime flavors with delicate white peach. Riesling grapes from our Horse Heaven Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA also contributed to the final blend.

Could Eroica be the beginning of the Riesling Renaissance many wine lovers believe is long overdue? Named after Beethoven's masterpiece, the winemaking partnership between famed Mosel winemaker Ernst Loosen and Chateau Ste. Michelle enjoyed a standing ovation at the August 2000 debut of the 1999 vintage. The partnership is dedicated to exploring a wide range of Riesling styles with grapes from the Columbia Valley.

Notes on our Wines of the Week, Recommendations, and Picks:

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts...first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of  links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

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