2016 J. Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling
-
Robert Whitley, San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge
- GOLD
The 2016 J. Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling is pale straw in color, offering aromas of paperwhites, pear, lemongrass, tangerine and apricot. These delicious aromas are complemented on the palate by cool climate minerality, rich texture, and a spritz of natural carbonation on the finish.
— Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker, white wine
Wine Details
-
Composition Blend
-
97.4%
White Riesling
-
2.6%
Gewürztraminer
-
-
Origin
Arroyo Seco, Monterey County, California
-
Food Pairings
Enjoy this wine as an aperitif, with prosciutto and melon, spicy ahi tuna tacos, or with flavorful Thai curry dishes.
Vintage
The 2016 growing season was cooler than the previous vintage in the Arroyo Seco. With cool mornings and evenings, and highs in the 80s, the Arroyo Seco weather was close to ideal for ripening the White Riesling grapes. The vines ripened even more slowly this year due to the afternoon winds, which, like clockwork, roar down the valley. The chilly nights allowed the vines to retain their natural acidity, while the warm days produced just enough sunshine to develop ripe and complex flavors. The Bay Mist White Riesling is a well-balanced blend of two clones - FPS Clone 10, whose origin is unknown, and FPS Clone 17 from Geisenheim, Germany. These complementary clones provide a spectrum of varietal aromas, from citrus, lemongrass and floral to focused minerality.
Vineyards
The vines for our J. Lohr Estates Bay Mist White Riesling are grown in well-drained Chualar loam soils underlain by stones deposited from the Arroyo Seco River. The Region I climate, in concert with the winds of the Salinas Valley, extend the growing season well into late October, preserving the natural grape acidity and vibrant fruit flavors. Our primary goal with this varietal is to evoke the purest manifestation of fruit from the vineyard, enhanced by a combination of cultured yeasts fermented in stainless steel to showcase the grape’s complex character.