SCHLÜSSEL Riesling
2019 RIESLING
PROJECT M’S 2019 Schlüssel Riesling exhibits a delicate nose of spice-poached peach, crushed white peppercorn, and about-to-bloom meadow flowers. Delicacy again describes the wine’s entry, a breathy whisper of yellow apple, nearly ripe peach, and satsuma citrus. In the mid-palate, the wine reaches a conversational tone repeating apple and peach while dropping hints of silver spoon and salinity. The generous texture is silky and weightless and brought to a dry tapering finish with hints of tart candy and citrus peel.
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$26
dan berger's vintage experiences
2016 PROJECT M RIESLING "SCHLÜSSEL"
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
I first discovered that Oregon can produce great Riesling about thirty years ago and it has never failed me, although one sadness in any wine columnist’s life is the discovery of something great that is either not well distributed or next to impossible to get. This wine is close to both situations, but it is worth tracking down. There is a faint honey note that pervades the classic Rheingau aromatics, with floral notes peeking over the top, and a physical structure that left me breathless. Wine maker Jerry Murray worked 19 vintages on three continents and in five growing regions before finally deciding to make wine last year. Reading his bio indicates that he is a purist at heart, and this wine really shows it. The grapes come from the famed Corral Creek Vineyard that Chehalem has done so brilliantly with over the last 22 vintages.
…The angularity of this wine shows a lot of courage on the part of winemaker Jerry Murray, who says he goes for tension. Beyond the enormous aging potential for this bone-dry wine, you have numbers undeniably designed for the Riesling purist. 6.5 g/L of sugar, but balanced by an acid of 8.1 and a pH of 3.02!