One of my favorite all time Washington wines was the Woodward Canyon 2005 Dry White Riesling. My only regret with this wine was not buying a case when it was available.

I wasn't a big fan of Rick Small's 2006 riesling, as it clocked in at 14.2% alcohol, making it far too high octane for my taste. Rick and I chatted about this at the 2008 Taste Washington, where he assured me that the 2007 would be more to my liking.

Rick was mostly right about his Woodward Canyon 2007 Dry White Riesling, but the alcohol level still remains high, which is listed on the bottle at 14.1% but in the technical notes as 14.2%. It appears this may be due to a copy and paste error, as the technical notes for the '06 and '07 are essentially identical except for bottling and release dates.

For all of its pleasing characteristics in the glass (light golden straw color), on the nose (mild petrol giving way to tropical fruit), and in the mouth (bright, slightly sweet fruit with crisp minerality), the finish leaves a burn in the back of the throat, which is more noticeable on its own than with food.

We paired the Woodward Canyon riesling with a meal of ground chicken/onions/mushrooms that was stir-fried in a wok, placed on a bed of steamed rice, and then dressed with a spicy Asian sauce. I really enjoyed the Woodward Canyon 2007 Dry White Riesling with this meal and even had more with another dinner the next night.

I am glad to have several more bottles in the cellar to try over the coming years. But I am hoping that the cool summer here in Washington in 2008 will lead to Rick crafting a dry white riesling that is more comparable to his 2005. If that is indeed the case, then a case or two will definitely be in order.

Related Links
Woodward Canyon Winemaker Notes
Through the Walla Walla Grapevine Review