December 5, 2007

Sheldrake Point dessert riesling

Bill Dowd photo

Sheldrake Point is located on a jut of glacial soil extending into Cayuga Lake near Ithaca, NY. This example of winemaker Dave Breeden's work sprang from a lucky infestation of botryitis that concentrated the riesling grapes into fruit ideal for this dessert-style wine.

• Sheldrake Point Bunch Select Riesling 2006:

Only 100 cases of this delicious wine were made in 2006. It's not made every year -- in fact, Sheldrake has five different rieslings but doesn't make each one each year. The wine comes from all vinifera plantings.

I'm not particularly attracted to overly sweet wines, but the 6% residual sugar in this bunch select wine is nicely balanced with the acid to form a very drinkable wine that does not necessarily need to be used as a food accompaniment. Well chilled, it would be a perfect after-dinner finisher on its own.

Notes of honey, melon and the luscious riesling itself all come through in a perfectly-made product that retails for $19.99.

Go back to Dowd On Drinks

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