Talley Vineyards Edna Valley Riesling 2020, California

Pale lemon in color with a golden hue.

Nose of citrus, lemons, light diesel, apples, light vegetables and spices.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, lemons, apples, peaches, minerals and white pepper.

Medium finish with limes and light earth.

This is a very tasty Riesling from Edna Valley in california. Engaging with mild complexity.

Good right out of the bottle, easy drinking and good for parties. I had it all by itself by the lake.

Aged for 7 months in a combination of neutral barrels and stainless steel.

12.9% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$34.

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Smith-Madrone Vineyards Spring Mountain District Riesling 2018, Napa Valley, California

Pretty color of light gold.

Strong nose of citrus, lemons, yellow apples, pears, limes, light earth, diesel and minerals.

Full bodied and creamy with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with a touch of RS to balance it out.

Showing limes, lemons, green and red apples, minerals, light earth, light diesel, herbs and white pepper.

Long finish with light almonds and limes.

This 5-year-old Riesling from Napa Valley is drinking so nicely now. Elegant and rich.

I’ve had the 2017 some time ago, and this vintage drinks much better.

Well balanced with nice complexity and mouthfeel. Neither tart nor bitter, and I love that. Buttery and creamy. Soft and smooth.

Will be interesting to revisit it in 5 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after some air time. Better when not too cold. Good by itself as a sipping wine.

13.3% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$36.

Smith-Madrone Winery Spring Mountain District Riesling 2017, Napa Valley, California

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Pale lemon in color with a yellow tint.

Pretty nose of lemons, citrus, yellow apples, diesel, light tangerines, light river rocks, spices and minerals.

Medium plus in body with high acidity.

Dry on the palate with citrus, spices, lemons, apples, light earth, minerals, light sea salt and white pepper.

Tangy finish with limes and grapefruit.

This is a delicious Riesling from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

Still young and would benefit from a few years in the bottle. Already drinking nicely with nice balance.

Good by itself or with food, and better after 45 minutes of airtime.

Not as complex as the 2016 vintage, but time will tell as this evolves in the bottle. Still very yummy.

A great sipping wine and a good pool wine too. Fresh with a dry finish.

I paired it with Cedar Planked Salmon on the BBQ.

12.9% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$34.

Lepe Cellars Zabala Vineyards Riesling 2016, Monterey County, California

Light straw in color with a golden hue.

Pretty nose of diesel, lemons, pears, bruised apples, honey, melons, spices, honeysuckle and black pepper.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity, crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with citrus, white pepper, light diesel, lemons, apples, light honey, pears, herbs, spices and light minerals.

Medium finish with tangy lemons.

This is a very tasty dry Riesling from California. Nicely balanced with a crisp mouthfeel.

This 4 year old is drinking very nicely now. Spicy and entertaining. Feels like an Alsace Riesling.

Good right out of the bottle and better with some air time, when the complexity comes in. An hour was enough.

Would be nice to revisit it in a few years.

I paired it with cheeses and dried fruits, by the pool.

13.3% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$22.

Smith-Madrone Vineyards and Winery Spring Mountain District Riesling 2016, Napa Valley, California

Light golden in color and very pretty.

Strong nose of citrus, lemons, yellow apples, diesel, spices, minerals, light tropical fruits, sea salt and pineapples.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity, crisp and creamy.

Dry on the palate with lemons, citrus, apples, pears, light diesel, pineapples, white pepper, light earth, herbs and spices.

Long tangy finish with limes and black pepper.

This is a very tasty Riesling from Napa Valley. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Nicely balanced and rich.

Although easy to drink, it is more of thinking wine. A good quality wine with lots to offer. The spicy finish makes it interesting.

Very expressive right out of the bottle, and calmed down after 30 minutes of airtime. Better when not too cold.

This 4 year old is drinking so fresh, and I love that. Would age nicely in the next 10 years. One of the better dry Rieslings that I had from California. Has the potential to be a 94+ point wine.

Good by itself or with food. I had it all by itself by the pool.

12.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$34.

Barefoot Cellars California Riesling Non-Vintage, California

Pale lemon in color.

Sweet nose of lemons, citrus, melons, red apples, minerals and white pepper

Full bodied and bold with high acidity.

Sweet on the palate with citrus, apples, pears, light vegetables, sugar, limes and honey.

Medium plus in finish with tangy limes.

This is a sweet Riesling from California. Not balanced and simple, but good for parties.

This is just too sweet for me, but everyone else loved it.

8% alcohol by volume.

82 Points.

$7.

Junebug Wines California Riesling Non-Vintage, California 82

My Rating 82 Points.
Price $5.

Light golden in color.

Fruity nose of lemons, melons, diesel, tropical fruits and over ripe citrus fruits.

Medium plus in body, and creamy with medium plus acidity.

Off Dry on the palate with limes, rotten citrus fruits, red apples, red grapefruits, minerals and spices.

Medium finish with bitter almonds and herbs.

This non-vintage Californian Riesling is probably past its peak by now. Simple and balanced.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed it with a cheese plate and some good friends.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Riesling Non-Vintage, USA

My Rating 83 Points.   

Price $7.

Light straw in color with a golden hue.
Fruity nose of lemons, citrus, melons, tropical fruits, apples and mangoes.

Medium to full bodied with medium acidity.

Off dry on the palate with lemons, red apples, pears, aluminum, sea salt and white pepper.

Medium finish with limes.

This is an easy drinking Riesling. Balanced, simple and enjoyable by itself or with food. Drinking more like a juice, with no complexity whatsoever.
Good for parties or as a sipping wine by the porch.

I paired it with a cheese plate and crackers.

11.5% alcohol by volume.

Blue Fin Winery Riesling 2015, California

My Rating 86 Points.   

Price $9.

Pale lemon in color with a golden hue.
Light nose of lemons, pears, grapefruits, tropical fruits, peaches, citrus and mint.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and nice legs.

Off-dry on the palate with citrus, lemons, pears, red apples, vegetables, peaches, white pepper and sea salt.

Short finish with bitter almonds and green vegetables.

This is a simple and easy drinking Riesling from California.
Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food with a nice creamy mouthfeel.

11% alcohol by volume.

Palmaz Vineyards Napa Valley Louise Riesling 2014, California

My Rating 85 Points.   

Price $50.

Extremely light lemon in color, almost see through, with a light golden hue.
Strong nose of melons, citrus, flowers, Indian spices, asparagus, green apples, and white pepper.

Medium bodied, crisp and refreshing, with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, green apples, cream, herbs and spices.

Medium plus on the finish with bitter almonds and grapefruits.

This is a very unique Riesling. My first Napa Riesling. Nicely balanced with a watery mouthfeel. Tastes more like a California Unoaked Chardonnay, to me.
An above average white wine, but it has too many green notes for my taste.

After 30 minutes, some petrol notes show up on the nose. Definitely better after opening up.

13% alcohol by volume.