How does a Riesling from New York and Washington State compare to a standard-bearing German Riesling?
A while back I did a Chilean vs. French Riesling comparison, so now that I’m visiting the US, I wanted to see how American Rieslings are. I’ve never tried Riesling from New York and I’ve had little from Washington, so it’ll be a fun experiment.
Most New York Riesling is grown in the Finger Lakes region. The first Riesling was planted in the 1950’s. They can be found in the form of dry white or sweet ice wine. Most credit Dr. Konstantin Frank as the godfather of New York wine, proving Riesling could succeed in New York.
Washington State is actually the biggest producer of Riesling in North America, and Riesling is the second most produced white grape in the state. They also make Riesling in dry, off-dry and late-harvest sweet styles.
In comparison, Germany is the epicenter of Riesling historically and today, and JJ Prüm is one of the most consistent and popular producers in Germany’s most famous wine region, Mosel.
Tasting Notes
2017 Empire Estate Finger Lakes Riesling
This is a project between the Nomad Hotel in NYC and Hermann Wiemer Vineyard. Stainless steel or neutral oak storage. 2017 was a cool vintage. 5,400 cases made.
Pretty nose. Some typical aspects of Rieslings with minerality, petrol and white floral notes. The palate has medium acidity for a Riesling and it’s fruity and a little sweeter than some, but not cloying. White peaches. Still varietally correct. Food friendly. 90
2019 Eroica Riesling Columbia Valley
This is a collaboration between well-known Washington Riesling producer Chateau Ste. Michelle and one of Germany’s top producers, Dr. Loosen. 12% alcohol. Doesn’t have the same nose as the other two. Not as open, but it started to open up more with time. More fruit forward. However, I like the acidity on the palate. It’s the most dry of the three. There’s some minerality and spice too. 91
2018 Joh. Jos. Prum Riesling Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett Mosel
Made and stored in stainless steel. Kabinett means it’s a light Riesling at the lowest level of ripeness in German classifications. It also requires the wine can’t be chapitalized (sugar added). Only 9% alcohol. This is the most aromatic of the three. Flint, petrol, peach, citrus and a bit of floral notes. The palate is the most oily and sweetest of the three, but there’s also acidity and a savory side. It’s the most complete, but still a little sweet. 93
Conclusion
I had them all with Chinese food because so many sommeliers say that it’s the best pairing, but Chinese food is so diverse. There may be salty, bitter, sweet, sour, spicy and umami notes. I understand having off-dry Riesling with spicy Asian foods, but it’s not necessarily a homerun with other dishes although it didn’t clash either. Maybe a rosé or Beaujolais Cru would be more versatile though. I still need to experiment. Plus, I’ve grown up eating Chinese food in a Chinese family all my life without any wine, so it’s still strange for me. Anyway, perhaps that’s a future post topic.
As far as the wines, the two American Rieslings make well-priced alternatives with varietal characteristics, but the German one is also worth the extra money if you want a more profound Riesling. None of them are going to offend those who don’t like sweet wines either because there’s enough acidity to balance it out.
