2007 Long Shadows Vintners Collection Poet’s Leap Riesling

The Poet’s Leap Riesling, the only white wine made under the Long Shadows umbrella, has been an unfailing crowd pleaser—not to mention remarkably consistent in quality—since its first vintage in 2003. Originally created by Armin Diel of Schlossgut Diel from mostly higher-altitude vineyards and Germanic clones in vineyards around Columbia Valley, this off-dry Riesling has always offered terrific early appeal, combining elements of stone and citrus fruits, brown spices and white flowers as well as mineral and earth notes reminiscent of wines from Diel’s home Nahe region. No doubt most of this wine is consumed within a year of its release for its purity of fruit, lipsmacking vibrancy and satisfyingly tactile texture. But that’s a shame, as the wine has the bright acidity and density of material to gain in nuance with cellaring.

A case in point is the compelling 2007, which still shows a very youthful pale yellow color. It offers sexy high tones to its brisk, subtle aromas of fresh peach, lime and ginger complicated by petrol and saffron notes. The wine boasts excellent racy lift and concentration, with surprising retention of stone fruits, spices and salty minerality. This classy, sharply delineated wine finishes with a captivating hint of sweetness and lovely length. 91/Drink: 2016-2020.

--Seephen Tanzer