Dear Friends,
This week marks week 52 of my weekly emails, an entire year. I don’t consider myself a very consistent person so I am surprised that I have been able to keep up with these. What motivates me to do so is that about 4,000 of you open them up every week and so many of you have told me they enjoy them, they are educational and inspiring. That means the world to me and lets me know that my efforts are well worth it. Thank you for reading them.
Happy Sunday!
DELICIOUS IN EVERY STYLE
I really appreciate everyone who shared their Riesling “aha moments” with me. If you haven’t had yours yet, I hope you will share it with me when you do!
The fact that Riesling is one of the few grapes that can be made in a wide range of styles is also what makes it so confusing. The true test of a great riesling is one that has the right balance of sugar and acid. In 2008, a group of Riesling producers from around the world formed the International Riesling Foundation with the mission of educating the consumer as to what style of riesling they would perceive on their pallet. It is an objective measure that takes into account the amount of residual sugar and acid. If this ratio is around 1:1, it is a dry wine–regardless of how much sugar and acid. It also takes into account pH. But as the consumer, you don’t need to worry about that as the results are shared on this simple scale.
This scale is on 26 million bottles of domestic Riesling. We have been using the scale since it launched in 2008. In the video below, our friend and biggest advocate for all things Riesling, Paul Grieco, proprietor of Terroir Wine Bar in NYC, likes to speak of Brooks Riesling in terms of Game of Thrones. He also applauds our achievement of balance!
You will have your best international Riesling experience ever at Terroir in New York City. Terroir reopens May 1 and I highly recommend you go visit Paul. In the summer, he will only pour you Riesling by the glass. There are no other white wine options! That is a bold commitment!
AT BROOKS, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED
We love Riesling in every style. Sometimes it is based on our mood, other times what we are eating. It is always bright and refreshing. Because we are so well known for our Rieslings, we have access to most of the oldest vines in the Willamette Valley as well as over 12 different sites. On our own Estate vineyard, we have 5 acres planted in 1974. We use all of this amazing fruit to showcase the range of styles you can make riesling in. We produce over 20 labels of Riesling, We have pulled together a pack of four rieslings, each made in a different style. This pack is perfect for:
- Anyone looking to understand the range of Rieslings
- The person still looking for their “Aha Moment”
- Blind tasting with a group of friends to see who can guess where the wine falls on the IRF Sweetness scale.
- Pairing with different styles of food to see how sugar or lack thereof interplays with different flavors and textures.
- The collector. Acidity in Riesling makes it so age-worthy. These can all be laid down for decades to come.
Discover the incredible versatility of Riesling with this bundle ranging from dry to sweet:
- 2018 Ara Riesling (94 pts Wine Enthusiast and Wine & Spirits Magazine) This dry Riesling showcases the two main soil types of the Willamette Valley coming from Brooks Estate Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA (volcanic soil) and Yamhill Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA (marine sedimentary). AKA The Obama Wine-this wine was poured at President Obama’s First State Dinner!
- 2017 Bois Joli Riesling (94 pts Wine Enthusiast)This medium-dry Riesling comes from the Bois Joli Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA and is made from the Geisenheim 110 clone.
- 2017 Sweet P (93 pts Wine Enthusiast, 92 pts Wine & Spirits Magazine)This medium-sweet Riesling comes from our Brooks Estate Vineyard from old vines planted between 1974-1976 in volcanic basalt soil.
- 2016 La Chenaie Riesling This sweet Riesling comes from the La Chenaie Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. This is a perfect example of how the high acid found in Riesling can harmoniously balance the sugar.
EXPERIENCE THE GREATNESS
I made a new commitment this week–I am determined to have the BEST Wine Club benefits of any club in America. We had our very first Wine Club Cheese and Wine event this week and it was a blast. We also announced our new Wine Club Happy Hours! Have an idea for a benefit? Let me know, please! [email protected] 831-238-4828.
Stay tuned this week as we will be updating our events and reservation calendars through the end of August. We cautiously can feel the positive vibes of Spring and Summer ahead.
Cheers!
Janie