Riesling Rendezvous returns

Descriptions such as racy acidity, diesel, petrol and rot as well as complicated production terms on labels do nothing to help the plight of Riesling in attracting more drinkers in the future, according to Riesling experts.

The statements were made during Monday’s opening address of Riesling Rendezvous, a biennial trade event held in Washington state which is co-hosted by Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Dr Loosen Estate.

"Put yourself in the mind of consumers," said Ted Baseler, president of Chateau Ste. Michelle. "Doesn’t the sound of acidity, rot and petrol sound inviting?" he asked the event’s audience rhetorically, while adding in jest: "Frankly, anything to do with petroleum at the moment is not a great thing!"

Revered producer Ernst Loosen and author Stuart Piggot completed the opening address. As the former supported Baseler’s comments about the difficulty for consumers in deciphering wine terms, he provided Old World examples such as Grosses Gewachs and Grand Cru, while for the US (where Loosen co-produces a wine with Chateau Ste. Michelle) he joked that "everything is labelled as a reserve," a comment to which the 250-strong audience errupted in laughter.

However, despite the vocabulary concerns, Riesling has becoming the fastest growing white wine varietal in the US for three consecutive years, bolstering the event’s raison d’etre, with Baseler and Loosen adding: "With the increasingly high quality Riesling being produced from around the world, we view Riesling’s future as very bright."

The opening address was followed by a panel-led blind tasting of 14 Rieslings from Austria, France, Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the US (from the states of Washington, Oregon, New York and Michigan). The international panel included Etienne Hugel, Johannes Leitz, Willi Brundlmayer, Peter Bell of Fox Run Vineyards, Tom Barry of Jim Barry Wines and Wendy Stuckley from Chateau Ste. Michelle.

During the course of the tasting, guests tasted and discussed the differences in Riesling production around the world, including latitude, hang time, acidification (and deacidification), as well as the subject of what makes a Riesling taste as though it’s from the Old World or New World.

This, the third Riesling Rendezvous to take place, is being held over the course of two days at Bellevue’s Hyatt Regency hotel in Washington state and includes a variety of tastings, workshops and seminars.

Jane Parkinson, in Washington State, 14.07.2010