2008 RIESLING KICK ON
RANCH
Santa Barbara County
I had never thought much about riesling until I moved to Ojai
full time in 1993. The summers here are hot, and I found myself
drinking more and more white wine during those hot months. I don't
care much for semisweet wines, but the dry style rieslings from
Germany and Austria are quite thirst quenching-and surprisingly
food friendly and versatile. That love of the classic dry rieslings
led to my curiosity about a small vineyard way out west of the
town of Los Alamos. By coincidence, it's just a few miles from
where I got my start in the wine business. Old-timer grape king
Dale Hampton once told me that this area was particularly well
suited for riesling, but since grape quality and the economics
of the wine business don't always jive together, almost all the
Riesling in the valley was torn out and replaced with chardonnay.
I had seen Kick On vineyard in the early days when it was just
being planted but had forgotten it had riesling, so when I heard
that some was available, I jumped at the chance. 2007 was our
first offering, and it was a take-no-prisoners-styled wine that
had searing acidity-and tasted terrific with goat cheese and crackers.
This 2008 is also dry-and strikingly unlike other California rieslings
if a bit more consensual. It has a beguiling lemon peel aroma
and fresh, crisp minerally flavors, yet it is richer flavored
and rounder than the previous effort.
Press Reviews
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar
“Greenish straw color. Spicy citrus and floral aromas are complemented by notes of honeysuckle and jasmine. Racy and precise but concentrated, with nervy lime and orange flavors and good mineral snap. Finishes gently spicy, with very good clarity.” ( 90 points )
2008 Riesling Kick On Ranch One Sheet
High Resolution Bottle Shot