On July 17-19, 2016, Chateau Ste. Michelle of Washington State and Weingut Dr. Loosen of Germany hosted the fifth Riesling Rendezvous at Chateau Ste. Michelle and Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle.
The 3-day-event started with a Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Sunday, July 17, 2016. This posting covers the Grand Tasting. I already provided an overview about the 5. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State. Here is a list of all related (already released and still forthcoming) postings:
5. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State: Overview
5. Riesling Rendezvous: Grand Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Washington State
International Tasting Dry Riesling
International Tasting Beyond Dry Riesling
The German Winemakers
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle
Schiller’s Favorite Oyster Bars in Seattle
Riesling experts from around the world - top winemakers, representatives from the trade and restaurant sector, and journalists – gathered in Seattle to celebrate, discuss and taste the arguably most noble white grape in the world - Riesling.
The Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle is part of the so-called Riesling Coalition, encompassing 3 major Rieslings events in Germany (International Riesling Symposium), in the US (Riesling Rendezvous) and in Australia (Riesling Downunder). Following this year’s Riesling Rendezvous in the US, the Riesling Coalition caravan will travel to Germany for the next International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau in 2017, then to Australia for the 2018 Riesling Downunder and return to Seattle in 2019 for the 6. Riesling Rendezvous.
For the 2013 Riesling Rendezvous, see:
The World of Riesling in Seattle - Fourth Riesling Rendezvous in Washington State, USA
For the 2014 International Riesling Symposium in Germany, see:
The 2nd International Riesling Symposium in the Rheingau, Germany
“Riesling Rendezvous has grown into the largest event dedicated to Riesling in the United States,” says Ted Baseler, president and CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. “We are extremely fortunate to have some of the most renowned Riesling winemakers in the world sharing their stellar wines to demonstrate the great attributes and diversity of Riesling.”
The symposium was attended by about 300 people, including such luminaries as Stuart Pigott and Stephan Reinhard (Robert Parker) from Germany and Paul Grieco and David Schildknecht from the US.
The pictures below are mostly mine, but I have also included a few pictures that were published on facebook by other participants.
Riesling in the World
There are about 47000 hectares planted with Riesling worldwide. Germany – with 22500 hectares – accounts for about half of the total. The second and third largest Riesling producer are the US (mainly Washington State and Finger Lakes Region) with 4800 hectares and Australia with 4100 hectares. But this is only about 1/10 of the total. Alsace follows with 3500 hectares. Alsace, Ukraine and Austria follow with 3500 hectares, 2700 hectares and 1900 hectares, respectively. Overall, Riesling is really a niche wine, accounting for less than 1 percent of total wine production in the world - but a very special niche wine.
Australia
Frankland Estate
Grant Burge Wines
Jim Barry Wines
Mac Forbes Wines
Pikes
Rieslingfreak
Austria
Boutique Winery Clemens Strobl
Emmerich Knoll
F.X. Pichler
Malat
Canada
Cave Spring Cellars
Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery
Kitsch Wines
Little Farm Winery
Synchromesh Wines
Tantalus Vineyards
Von Mandl Family Estates
France
Albert Mann
Domaine Loew
Famille Hugel
Meyer-Fonne
Paul Blanck
Schlumberger
Germany
Ansgar Clusserath
Balthasar Ress
Battenfeld Spanier
Christmann
Donnhoff
Dr. Burklin-Wolf
Dr. Loosen
Egon Muller-Scharzhof
Fritz Haag
Leitz
Maximin Grunhaus
Oekonomierat Rebholz
Robert Weil
Wittmann
Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany
New Zealand
Framingham Wines, Ltd.
United States
California Balo Vineyards
Maidenstoen Wines
Stirm Wine Co.
Stephan Reinhard: The most "Austrian" Riesling beyond Austria is a Californian one! Ryan Stirm's 2015 Wirz Vineyard Old Vines Riesling from the Cienega Valley is aromatic ally complex, rich, intense and powerful as well as elegant, deep and fresh. Sourced from 63/64 years old vines on granitic sand and limestone clay and bottled unfiltered it's a gorgeous, dry and salty Riesling form, according to Stirm, "probably the oldest Riesling vineyard in the United States."
The 2014 Eolian Kick-on Riesling is completely diverse. From 18 years old vines on Eolian sand and cultivated just 10 km from the Ocean this is a cooler, leaner, very delicate and less fruit intense but very well structured Riesling with 5% of botrytis berries. He fruit is just ripe and does not offer the generosity of the 2015 Wirz. However, both wines are fascinating and highly recommended to taste.
Idaho
Cinder Winery
Michigan
Black Star Farms
Mari Vineyards/Scriptorium Wines
New York
Anthony Road Wine Company
Boundary Breaks
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Fox Run Vineyards
Ravines Wine Cellars
Red Newt Cellars, Inc.
Sheldrake Point Winery
Wagner Vineyards
Oregon
Brooks
Elk Cove Vineyards
Tunkalilla Vineyard
Washington
Charles Smith Wines
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Pacific Rim
Snoqualmie Vineyards
The Woodhouse Wine Estate
Tsillan Cellars
Tulip Valley
schiller-wine - Related Postings
Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture and History
Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential German Riesling and the Northernmost Pinot Noir
Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
Heads up for the 2017 Tours - to Germany and France - by ombiasy WineTours
Thomas Schlumberger, Domaines Schlumberger in Alsace, presented his Wines at Bistro Lepic in Washington DC, USA, France
Tour and Tasting at Weingut A. Christmann in Gimmeldingen, Pfalz, with Steffen Christmann – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), Germany
Vintage 2011 Tasting with Lucas Pichler, Weingut F.X. Pichler, with Dirk Wuertz at his Koenigsmuehle in Rheinhessen, Austria/Germany
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In the world class white wine region Alsace
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Ernst Loosen Presented his Wines at Weingut Dr. Loosen, Bernkastel-Kues, Mosel Valley, Germany
Weingut Maximin Grünhaus Joins VDP, the Association of Germany’s Elite Winemakers
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Kiedrich: Visit of the Basilica of Saint Valentine and of Weingut Robert Weil - Germany-North Wine Tour by ombiasy (2014)
Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with Philipp Wittmann and Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann at Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen – Germany-South Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2014)
Celebrating the Release of the Finger Lakes 2011 Riesling in Washington DC, USA
Pacific Rim Winemaker’s Blog Recommends "German Wine Basics: Sugar in the Grape - Alcohol and Sweetness in the Wine" on schiller-wine
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Leitz in Rüdesheim, with Johannes Leitz– Germany-North Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours