Parker points 90 points! Santa Barbara's Secret to Cool Europe Style Riesling
"Kick-on Ranch" is a vineyard located at the westernmost tip of Los Alamos Valley, one of Santa Barbara's three famous valleys.
This vineyard specializes in Pinot Noir and Riesling , which are generally regarded as cool region grape varieties, and there is a secret unique to this region .
First, the Santa Barbara valley stretches east to west. The east and west are so beautiful that you can see it in the sky photo, but this is a shape that you can't see anywhere else on the west coast of the United States, let alone California. The cold wind from the sea blows on the same principle as the cold wind in the building, and it cools you down. (Even in summer, wearing light clothes will give you goosebumps!)
Also, being the westernmost point in the valley means that it is closer to the sea and is the first to receive the wind. California's ocean currents are known as cold currents, and the water temperature near Santa Barbara is 18°C even in summer. You can see how cold the wind is blowing compared to Hawaii's water temperature rising to nearly 27 degrees Celsius. (By the way, in Bordeaux, a well-known brewery near the sea in France, the summer sea temperature is 21°C, which is lower than that!)
This Riesling, which was grown in such a good environment, has been rated 90pts by the famous wine critic Robert Parker .
Aromas of fresh lemon, lime and peach with hints of wet stone and honey. A medium bodied dry Riesling that is very finely balanced with a very refreshing and long lasting minerality and citrus finish. You can feel the aging potential and it is worth putting it in the cellar for 5-10 years.
Contents: 750ml Alcohol 13.5%
*Because this product is purchased from a cooperative importer, it may take an extra 1-2 business days to ship.
Winemaker Notes
Usually a few months after bottling this Riesling has more of a primary fruitiness in aroma, but this wine has a striking earthy prominence now. White tea, minerals and kaffir lime leaves up front, then lemon meringue, tangerine zest and some tough-to- place white fruit-cherimoya? No matter, this is delicious and vibrant dry Riesling that vintage to vintage surprises their tasting room guests who come in thinking that Riesling has to be sweet.
JD 92pts Jeb Dunnuck
Exotic lime, quince, and lychee nut notes emerge from the 2017 Riesling Kick On Vineyard and it's more dry and crisp than normal while still playing in the off-dry category. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, and just a joy to drink, it should keep nicely for upwards of a decade, although I see no need to delay gratification.
RP 90pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Riesling Kick On Ranch has a spicy, floral-tinged nose of musk, lemon-lime, petrichor and yellow peach with tropical fruits and honey touches in the background. The palate is medium-bodied and a bit weightier than expected but with lots of mineral and citrus zip and zing, finishing long and crisp. This has an appealing dichotomy of weight with fruit purity and delicacy.
750ml Alc 13.5%