Riesling is no stranger to California. Prior to Chardonnay’s rise in the 1970s, it was the state’s most popular white wine varietal, driven by Americans’ affinity for sweeter styles.
Though those sweet styles are still far less fashionable among American consumers than they once were, after decades of scraping by, Riesling is now on the rise yet again in the Golden State. This time, however, it’s thanks to producers who are making crisp, dry styles, often from old vines found from the Central Coast to Mendocino County.
“Riesling is one of the more uniquely terroir-driven whites, and it shows site specificity even more so than Chardonnay,” says Bob Cabral, the veteran Sonoma County vintner who makes wine for his eponymous brand. “The most difficult part is that these sites that are ideal for Riesling are also very ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, where an owner can make substantially more money per acre. So, it’s difficult to find those spots and maintain them.”
The lower cost of buying Riesling is what attracted younger vintners like Ryan Stirm and Mike Callahan to search out the grape when they started their own brands over a decade ago. “A lot of producers are willing to take a gamble on it because the price to entry is so much lower than high-quality Pinot and Chard,” says Stirm, and that affordability appeals to the public as well. “Even consumers who are educated feel the economic pinches. They know it makes a great wine that’s
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
