White Riesling is a grape that's suited to chilly Germany and the Alsace. It buds out late which is a big advantage where a late frost is likely. This varietal trait meant that we could plant Riesling in our coldest vineyard, a field at the bottom of the hills where cold air and two streams converge and tumble into a small valley we call the Campsite. When we planted here we didn't realize how popular the abundant water would make this site to all the wildlife that live on the ranch: deer, bobcats, mountain lions, raccoons, skunks, possums and lots of wild turkeys. We deer fence each vineyard site separately, guaranteeing wildlife access to the riparian corridor and most of the critters, other than deer, don't do much damage to the vines... except the turkeys.
The German language tends to join long lists of words together into one huge one which is usually a mouthful. Bottles of German Riesling are often labeled Erzeugerabfüllung; this means the wine producer (erzeuger) filled (füllung) the bottle. Produced and bottled seems easier to pronounce and remember.
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 We are often serenaded by wild turkeys during family picnics on the patio. This Riesling tastes almost dry; it's great paired with Kevin's recipe for fish strudel or, dare we say, turkey pot pie.
While sitting on our patio, almost a mile away, we can here them gobbling away, gleefully anticipating beating us to the grapes. We have resorted to positioning loud speakers throughout the Campsite and playing recordings of distressed turkeys during ripening. It sounds eerily like the soundtrack from a low budget sci-fi movie but it works like a charm. This bottling comes from four different clones of White Riesling. Over 80% was aged in large oak ovals and the balance was produced in stainless. Don't wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy this wine's floral aromas, green apple flavors, and zingy finish. We plan to sip it on the patio all summer... listening to the turkeys. Gold Medal winner.
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