This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for USA Single-Varietal White over £15 went to Chateau Ste. Michelle, Eroica Gold Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington State 2012 (10%)
Tasted against:
- No other Golds in this category
Profile:
Chateau Ste Michelle launched Eroica, its joint-venture with the Mosel’s Ernst Loosen, in 1999 as a canny means of putting a European spin on locally produced Riesling.
Germany’s Dr Loosen has a 200-year-old history, while Chateau Ste Michelle’s roots date to the founding of the Pommerelle Wine Co in1934. This morphed into American Wine Growers, which in 1967 – under the direction of legendary California winemaker and consultant Andre Tchelistcheff – began a new line of premium wines called Ste Michelle Vintners.
Winemaker Bob Bertheau relishes the opportunity to work with cooler-climate fruit: ‘It does so well here in Washington because of our cooler nights and shorter days as you hit the growing month of October. This retains the natural acidity of the fruit that is really what success is all about in fine-quality Riesling.’
This Trophy-winner follows the Goldkapsel Spätlese style produced in Germany by Loosen. ‘This kind of wine was our inspiration,’ says Bertheau. ‘The perfect combination of high-acid, cooler-site Washington State Riesling with just enough botrytis to give it layers and Old World intrigue.’
Written by Decanter
