2017 Appassionata GG Riesling
Inspired by the historical winemaking techniques of Erni Loosen’s great-grandfather, the Appassionata Riesling GG is made in the same way as the Dr. Loosen Grosses Gewächs (“Great Growth”) Rieslings he produces in Germany. The GG designation indicates a dry-style wine from a vineyard of special distinction — in this case, the old-vine Medici vineyard, planted in 1976. We farm this exceptional site, which is just a few miles east on the Chehalem Mountain ridge.
The fruit for this wine was harvested from old Rieslng vines (planted in 1976) in the Medici Vineyard, which is also in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, just a few miles from the winery. We lease this vineyard and have been farming it organically since 2015. The wine was fermented in a 3,000-liter German oak cask, and rests on the full lees for 12 months before bottling. The extended lees contact allows the wine to clarify and find its own harmonious balance naturally.
Whole-cluster pressing; natural fermentation in a neutral 3,000-liter oak cask; matured on the full lees for 12 months; no bâtonnage.
| Vintage | 2017 |
| Varietal | Riesling |
| Appellation | Chehalem Mountains |
| Vineyard | Medici Vineyard |
| Alcohol | 13.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Cases Produced | 300 |
94 points, Editors’ Choice
The GG rested on its lees for a year after fermentation. Then, the wine debuted four years later—it was worth the wait. Apricot and Stargazer lily aromas are followed by flavors of lemon, marzipan, and wet slate. The wine’s acidity is invigorating. – Wine Enthusiast, April 2023
93 points
If you prefer a thinking person's wine, you'll run out of superlatives to describe this Riesling...Aged, savoury and delicious. Aromas are savoury and saline. Lanolin, dandelion, seafoam, and beeswax with hints of fresh herbs and dried lemon peel. The palate is brilliant, savoury and bright and complex. Energetic flavours of wet slate, savoury bee pollen, white tea and lanolin notes. The finish offers crushed stone vibrancy. – Decanter, March 2023
