PACIFIC RIM 2008 ORGANIC RIESLING

  

There are so many sub-plots here, starting with the explanation that this isn’t the Pacific Rim with the sushi on the label that no doubt raised an eyebrow or two when it came out a few years back.  There is still some misunderstanding as to the final Bonny Doon story so, as we understand it, here it is.  Ca’del Solo and Big House, the brands, were sold to another entity and Bonny Doon and Pacific Rim remained under Randall Grahm, the creator of all of the labels. Pacific Rim was wholly relocated to Washington and put under the direction of French born winemaker Nicolas Quille with the instruction, “make Riesling.”  The old Bonny Doon standards Vin de Glaciere and Framboise are now under this label, as is a pretty exciting little Chenin Blanc and Gewurzraminer.  Oh yeah, there are still some of the exotic labels, too, with dragons, vegetables, and other themes, on the little wines.  But the star of the show here is the Riesling grape.  There’s a bone dry value Riesling and some interesting single vineyard bottlings.  But the one that hit our sweet spot the most was this organic Riesling, not necessarily because it was organic, but because it was one of the best examples of domestic Riesling we have ever tasted (and that’s from huge fans of German wines).   All done in stainless steel, with a screw cap to preserve freshness, this multi-vineyard blend has a nose of fresh apples, flowers, peach and citrus.  In the mouth, the entry shows a flash of moderate sweetness and plenty of fresh fruit, and then cuts cleanly away to leave a tangy, lingering peach and pear finish.  Refreshing, delicious, you can have great Riesling, buy organic and drink American.  This is a breakthrough program in our minds and the price is right.