Riesling has been planted in American vineyards since the 1800s, but the wine has had its ups and downs with consumers - going in and out of fashion, with resulting fluctuations in acreage.

In the 21st century, however, California riesling fortunes seem to be on the rise. According to the state's Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 1,470 acres of riesling under vine in 1997. Each year thereafter, more riesling was planted, so that by 2005 (the last year for which complete information is available), total bearing riesling acreage had increased to 1,828 acres, with another 500 non-bearing acres poised to come into production.

Most of these 2,328 riesling acres are concentrated in five counties: more than half in Monterey with 1,442 planted acres; followed distantly by Santa Barbara (231); Napa (131); Mendocino (68); and San Luis Obispo (66).

These figures are comforting to enthusiasts of California dry and off-dry Riesling because they convey something of a resurgence, as does the cheerful news that Riesling sales are booming, according to ACNielsen. The trend-tracking company reports that purchases rose by approximately 72 percent between November 2003 and August 2006, while case volume increased 58 percent, making Riesling the fourth-largest-selling white wine in the United States. Of all top varietals, only Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir display stronger growth rates.

California Riesling is an expression of the varietal unique to the state, and not reasonably comparable to Old World Rieslings. This conclusion was made abundantly clear at the inaugural "Riesling Rendezvous," a two-day international conference held at Washington's Chateau Ste. Michelle winery in Woodinville. The June event brought together vintners from virtually every country where riesling is grown to explore the many styles of the varietal, its various terroirs and vinification techniques.

After many seminars, much audience interaction and tastings of hundreds of Rieslings in styles ranging from dry and off-dry, to fruity, sweet and botrytised, the general profile of California dry Riesling emerged as steely with high-tone aromatics and palate-cleansing acidity. Flavors vary, depending on provenance, with ripe yellow peach, apricot, nectarine and tropical fruit from warmer regions (Napa Valley), and more citrus and white fruit (quince, pear and white peach) from cooler climes (Anderson Valley, Central and South Central Coast).

Riesling is capable of making a distinctive varietal statement whenever it's grown in a favorable site and vinified by a knowledgeable and empathetic winemaker, yet the constant essence of Riesling - its enchanting "Rieslingness" - is exquisite purity of fruit. Indeed, the simple act of pouring the brilliant, limpid, green-gold liquid, so filled with potential, from a gracefully tall, fluted bottle into the glass is, for many of us, a joy to behold, instilling happy anticipation.

From an American perspective, there is much to anticipate. Washington already produces more Riesling than any place on earth - estimated at approximately 1.4 million cases annually, according to a spokesperson for the Washington Wine Commission - including the variety's homeland, Germany. Yet California vinifies a lot more Riesling than most people think. The bigger players offer off-dry and semisweet styles in surprisingly large quantities at very affordable prices. Last year, for example, Kendall-Jackson bottled 180,000 cases of California-appellation Vintners Reserve Riesling ($12). Bonny Doon made 100,000 cases of Pacific Rim Riesling ($11) in dry and sweet styles, albeit from Washington and German fruit (the Riesling-only brand is actually moving to a new 300,000-case winery in Washington in time for the 2007 harvest). Fetzer turned out some 80,000 cases of semisweet Riesling under its California appellation Valley Oaks label in 2006 ($9), yet to meet strong demand, it used German juice to bottle another 15,000 cases of a non-vintage Valley Oaks Riesling ($9) that wears a German appellation (production of which will almost double this year).

Despite increased plantings, there's obviously not enough bearing California riesling to satisfy the demands of larger houses, which is why import channels are being tapped. Nevertheless, there is enough fruit available to enable a small number of specialists to craft limited quantities of artisanal dry and off-dry Riesling.

For purposes of discussion, and based largely on the German model, California "dry" Riesling contains no more than 0.9 percent residual sugar by volume (9 grams per liter), while "off-dry" Riesling does not exceed 1.8 percent (18 grams per liter) residual sugar, both of which are balanced by a higher-than-average level of cleansing acidity that ameliorates the palate sensation of sweetness. These wines are somewhat higher in alcohol than sweeter, fruitier versions, ranging from about 11 to 14 percent in the better-crafted bottlings; any dry Riesling exceeding those levels should be approached with caution, as it can come across as harsh and hot.

Stuart Pigott, noted Riesling authority and Germany-based wine scribe, wryly observed at the Riesling Rendezvous that dry Riesling can be characterized as Riesling "without amplification" - that is, without the effect of residual sugar that accompanies fruity and dessert styles of the varietal. On the other hand, Nikolaus Weis, vintner of Weingut St. Urbans-Hof in the Middle Mosel, noted, "Residual sugar belongs in Mosel Rieslings as bubbles belong in Champagne."

Several California dry and off-dry Riesling producers have justly earned reputations for taking the varietal seriously for many years, embracing it for all its nobility and expression, and relying solely on estate fruit to do so. And, while it may be economically tempting to convert such acreage to more profitable varieties, these artisans will have none of that.

Heading the list of California producers long dedicated to dry and/or off-dry estate Riesling are Smith-Madrone, Stony Hill and Trefethen in Napa Valley; Gainey Vineyard and Santa Barbara Winery in Santa Barbara County; Navarro and Greenwood Ridge in Mendocino; and Madroña Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills appellation of El Dorado.

Stony Hill, a small, storied winery tucked up on the lower slopes of Napa Valley's Spring Mountain District, has been making dry Riesling since 1957 from estate grapes planted at about 600 feet in the late 1940s in the western hills above the town of St. Helena. "My father obtained the budwood from Inglenook," notes proprietor Peter McCrea, referring to winery founder Fred McCrea. "Most of the riesling vines have been replanted since then because of Pierce's disease, but we still have some of the old-timers in production and we are still using the original clone," he explains. "Our Riesling comes from dry-farmed vines that are between 7 and 57 years old."

The Stony Hill style for both its Riesling and Chardonnay has always emphasized the tight, tart, flinty minerality that can be attributed to the volcanic soil and the microclimate of the mountainside vineyard. The ability of these white wines to age is legendary. Sitting down with McCrea, his wife, Willinda, and their winemaker, Mike Chelini, we tasted ten select Stony Hill White Riesling vintages culled from 1973 to 2003 bottlings. (The current 2006 vintage is reviewed with its peers on page 45.)

The 1973 was medium-gold in color and offered perky aromas of minerals, subtle white fruit (think quince, pear and apple) and a hint of petrol, which delights Riesling enthusiasts to no end. On the palate, it was round and somewhat fleshy with crisp acidity and apricot-quince-like fruit enhanced by notes of honeycomb and flinty minerality.

The other wines followed from old to young: some (1978 and 1990) showing more white flower aromas; a couple (1982, 1997) a touch of earthiness (which blew off after some airing to reveal dried apricot and peach); one (1988) with intriguing white pepper notes; another (2001) hinting at anise. Despite these distinctions, all displayed an evident minerality, crisp acidity and a purity of fruit that was impressive.

"People always ask us when our wines are ready to drink," McCrea shares. "Based on our recent experience, we find that if a wine has been cellared at a constant 60 degree temperature, it will reach its prime in five to ten years. But since each wine and each vintage develops at a slightly different rate, and some people prefer young, fresh wines, while others prefer mature, rich wines, we suggest that you yourself taste them periodically to determine when you would most enjoy drinking them. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' as far as your taste buds are concerned."

Chelini, who was trained by the late founder, has been with Stony Hill in some sort of winemaking capacity for more than 30 years. He explains that for Riesling, "I typically ferment 60 percent of the wine down to 1 to 1.5 percent residual sugar in stainless steel in 10 to 30 days. The other 40 percent I ferment dry in aged, 172-gallon German puncheons, after which I blend the two lots." McCrea adds that,

"After years of experimenting, we have found that 0.85 percent residual sugar is about as low a residual sugar level as we can have and still maintain a bouquet in this wine. One year we made it totally dry and ended up with a wine that took six years to develop any bottle bouquet!"

McCrea touts Stony Hill Riesling as "a perfect match" with Dungeness crab, but also suggests that people try this consummate food wine with Thai and other spicy Asian food. But there are no rules. He chuckles when noting, "One of our loyal Southern customers insists that 'This is mah summah sippin' wine!'" No doubt the gentleman is on the mailing list - some loyalists have been on it since the 1950s - because most of Stony Hill's production is sold to select restaurants. (Relaxed shipping laws also make it easier to order via the Web site, www.stonyhillvineyard.com.)

Higher up in the Spring Mountain District, between 1,600 and 1,800 feet above sea level, brothers Stuart and Charles Smith farm grapes at Smith-Madrone Vineyards (Stu manages the vineyard and runs the business, and Charlie makes the wines). Riesling is their passion - dry Riesling, that is.

"When figuring out what to plant back in 1972, we finally decided to go with the world's four great wine varieties - cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay," Stu recalls. "We grafted the pinot over to chardonnay in 1989 because it doesn't work well up here. The others do just fine." Because the mountain climate is cooler than that of the valley floor, the original 5.5 acres of riesling vines were planted on east-facing slopes to catch the most sunlight and warmth.

"Our very first [estate] Riesling was the 1977 vintage," Stu recounts. He now farms 6.9 acres of riesling and has plans for expansion. "For the past several years, I have been replanting the riesling vine by vine, as one succumbs to age or injury," he explains. "Next year, I'm planning to plant two new acres of riesling and continue replacing those vines that die in the current acreage." He expects to plant yet another two acres of riesling in 2009.

Where Stony Hill's Rieslings are generally tight and very minerally, Smith-Madrone's are more immediately expressive of stone fruit (apricot and yellow and white peach) with subtle hints of minerality and petrol. They age marvelously, as a vertical tasting of six select vintages demonstrated. The most mature of the flight - 1981 and 1983 - were dark gold in color and started off smelling a bit like light Sherry. Coming back to them later, that Sherry-like aroma had evolved into an appealing whiff of dry honeycomb. They offered lip-smacking flavors of dried apricot and white peach tinged with honey, buoyed by crisp acidity.

California dry Rieslings are tagged with various labelings, some of which Stu deems annoying. "Beginning with our 1983 Riesling vintage we boldly went where no other American winery would go for the next 17 years - we changed our label from 'Johannisberg Riesling' to the true and correct name: 'Riesling.' While 'White Riesling,' used by some wineries, is legally correct, it is nonetheless both wrong and redundant - when was the last time you had a red Riesling?" (Usage of "Johannisberg" on American Riesling labels has largely fallen out of fashion in recent years, and is also no longer technically legal, based on EU origin laws; see "Lobbying for Straightforward Labeling" box on page 44.)

In 2003, Smith-Madrone began a re-release program of library Riesling, starting with the 1997 vintage, priced at $50 per bottle with a three-bottle limit. This fall, the 2001 will be offered. One must be quick, however, because loyal Smith-Madrone customers invariably snap up these distinctive mountain wines as soon as they're offered, be it on first or second release.

About 712 cases of 2006 Riesling were produced, with a goal of 1,700 cases by 2009 as new acreage comes into production. (A smattering of Smith-Madrone Rieslings can be found at retail and both current and re-released library wines are usually available through the winery Web site: www. smithmadrone.com.)

Down the mountain and down valley, Peter Luthi, Trefethen's Swiss-born winemaker, also knows his Rieslings. "Of all the varietals, Riesling changes the most with age," he observes. "They achieve nuance over time, going from fruity and fresh when young, to diesel or petrol at later stages, but still retaining crisp acidity, which accounts for their longevity."

Trefethen's estate vineyards are situated in Napa Valley's newly established Oak Knoll District AVA south of Yountville; it is almost as cool a growing area as chilly Carneros. About 13 of Trefethen's more than 560 acres are planted to riesling. Growing in rich, alluvial loam soils, these vines produce a fruitier style of dry Riesling than those struggling on mountainsides, and exhibit flavors reminiscent of Fuji apple and succulent pear.

In assessing ten Trefethen Rieslings with Luthi going back as far as the 1976 vintage, another distinction became evident: Most of these dry wines show the effects of botrytis, a beneficial mold more commonly associated with noble sweet Rieslings, among other white dessert wines. "We often get botrytis in our two riesling blocks," Luthi explains. "Ten to 20 percent infection is common because of our location and the microclimate." In the glass, botrytis translates into an attractive scent of dried honeycomb, like the honey glaze on freshly baked pastry. It also comes through in the flavors, adding depth and complexity even to the young wines.

In the 1970s, riesling was a major player in the Napa Valley with more than 1,100 acres under vine. Given the prices now commanded by cabernet sauvignon, it should come as no surprise that riesling acreage has declined. What's left is growing mostly in estate vineyards where the variety is cherished, so it's unlikely riesling will disappear from cabernet country entirely.

According to Trefethen vineyard manager Jon Ruel, seven new acres of riesling will be planted next year, in part because of rising demand for Trefethen's estate fruit. "Many winemakers have been asking for a few tons to make a special bottling," Ruel notes. "Our increase in acreage will serve our own needs, and should also allow for some outside sales."

Proprietor Janet Trefethen observes, "There is measurable growth in demand for Riesling, but it's not a tidal wave or tsunami that would warrant ripping out chardonnay or cabernet for new riesling plantings. In the last few years, we've had to make replanting decisions, and have kept our riesling in place. We're right about where we should be to keep up with the demand for Trefethen Riesling."

Other Napa Valley dry and off-dry Rieslings of note include those of German-trained Scott Harvey, whose second vintage of Jana Old Vine Riesling ($20) is made in an off-dry style (1.5 percent residual sugar) from 37-year-old vines in a Rutherford Bench vineyard owned by growers Ken and Ellen McGill. Venerable Beringer Vineyards has released two vintages of Dry Riesling (0.7 percent RS; $16) from its Gamble Ranch near Yountville (among its 500 acres, 26 were planted to riesling in 1998), and more recently released the inaugural 2006 Founders' Estate California Riesling ($11) in an off-dry style. Also based in Napa Valley, Chateau Montelena makes a Riesling ($20) from Mendocino County's Potter Valley in a dry style (0.8 percent RS). (Sold primarily in the tasting room and on the Web site: www.chateaumontelena.com.)

Also very limited is Stag's Leap Wine Cellars's charming, off-dry Riesling ($18). Offered only in the tasting room, the hint of sweetness in the 2005 Riesling (1.0 percent RS) was achieved with the addition of muté, the unfermented juice retained from the first day of harvest. Demand for Napa Valley riesling fruit was so high in 2006 that the winery was unable to obtain any for its modest program. "We'll try again in 2007," asserts winery spokeswoman Sue Furdek. >

Cooler than Napa (at least literally), western Mendocino County hugs the Pacific coastline and is an ideal riesling habitat. Ted Bennett and Deborah Cahn relocated from the San Francisco Bay Area to Anderson Valley in western Mendocino in the early 1970s. Here they built their beautiful winery in 1974, and early on determined that Navarro Vineyards would emulate the Alsace model. It was not long before the winery became the premier American source for Gewürztraminer; Riesling followed in 1990. The estate vineyards planted to these varieties, along with muscat blanc, pinot gris, chardonnay and pinot noir, are models of farming harmoniously with nature.

Navarro winemaker Jim Klein crafts four estate Rieslings: two dry, one late harvest and one sweeter still. In the spring of 2000 at the Riesling du Monde competition held in the heart of Alsace, Navarro was the only winery to garner two gold medals, one for its dry Riesling, the other for its late harvest Riesling, out of a field of 300 entries from twelve countries.

"One of the reasons we entered the French competition," Cahn recalls, "was that we don't think Americans give Riesling, especially the dry versions, the respect it deserves." Elaborating on Navarro's dry Riesling, she notes, "Its racy flavors and slightly floral aromas hint of Northern Spy apple and peach. The acid is bracing and there is only a tad of residual sugar to balance the wine, yet it finishes as if it were definitely dry. There's an engaging mineral quality, a rounded texture, nice intensity and it's delightfully refreshing."

Since then, Navarro has added a second dry Riesling to its portfolio, with the premier release in 2004 of the 2002 Deep End Blend ($19), made from a top-rated Alsace clone and a highly touted German clone. (Along with its other wines, all of Navarro's Rieslings are available primarily at the winery and from the Web site: www.navarrowine.com.)

Greenwood Ridge, another Mendo resident, grows riesling at the highest elevation on the North Coast: 1,400 feet above sea level. Its rolling, ridge-top vineyard is sited in Mendocino Ridge, the county's westernmost appellation (that, until 1997, was part of the Anderson Valley AVA) and, as the sea gull flies, only some six miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Proprietor Allen Green explains that the vineyard was originally planted in 1972 by Tony Husch, a pioneer Anderson Valley winegrower who wanted to ripen grapes above the fog line. "I bought the vineyard from Tony in 1973 and planted some more riesling," Green recounts. "Today we have four acres of the variety." Riesling is his sole white for more than one good reason. "I didn't plant gewürztraminer because I already had riesling and felt that it was my niche wine," he explains. "And, after all, there was already plenty of good gewürztraminer in Anderson Valley."

Very little has changed since Greenwood Ridge first started making Riesling in 1980. "We always aim for an off-dry style with about 1.5 percent residual sugar, which is tart enough to give you that pleasing sweet-and-sour tang that goes so well with spicy foods, yet rich enough to stand alone as a sipping wine," Green says. Making this style of estate-bottled Riesling (as well as a late-harvest style) for 25 years has convinced him of the varietal's ability to age well. That ability was convincingly underscored at a 20-year retrospective tasting of Greenwood Ridge White Rieslings presented in Healdsburg in 2002.

As a young wine, Greenwood Ridge White Riesling is wonderfully fresh and tangy with aromas and flavors of ripe apricot and tropical fruit balanced by racy acidity. After several years in the cellar, the wine develops more notable mineral character and complexity, showing hints of a welcome petrol-like scent that intensifies with even more aging.

Even the inaugural bottling from 1980 tasted very much alive; its rich texture verged on honeyed, but it was still dry and balanced with aromas and flavors of petrol, mineral and dried apricot, much like a fine, fully mature German Riesling Kabinett made in the same off-dry (halbtrocken) style. Library bottlings from 1988 and 1994 tasted this June in Fort Bragg on the Mendocino Coast reinforced these impressions - both offered aromas and flavors redolent of pleasing petrol amid steely, though juicy, apricot.

The extra amount of fleshiness from the slightly higher percentage of residual sugar smooths out an off-dry Riesling, while the varietal's crisp acidity balances any perception of sugary sweetness.

Other Mendocino Riesling producers of note include Esterlina Vineyards, which makes dry ($19) and off-dry ($18) estate Rieslings from its wholly owned Cole Ranch AVA. Handley Cellars endorses the AVA with its dry Riesling ($17) made from purchased fruit. Lazy Creek, which owns two acres of estate riesling, makes a commendable Anderson Valley Old Vine Riesling ($25) in a barrel-fermented (20-year-old barrels), bone-dry style from both estate and purchased fruit.

Moving inland and upward, Madroña Vineyards's riesling plantings in the Sierra Foothills are higher than any other in the state. A majestic old madrone tree (from which the winery borrowed its name) presides in the midst of the 35-acre estate vineyard. All of the vines here are planted on their own roots, and have been producing since the early 1970s, including riesling, which has been an integral part of the portfolio from the outset.

Owner/winemaker Paul Bush notes that the vineyard is planted to several varieties, including cabernet, merlot, zinfandel, syrah, petite sirah and gewürztraminer, but riesling is his favorite to grow. "It takes less work than the others," he says, "and when you taste the grape near harvest, it pretty much gives you the flavor you'll find in the wine."

The 2005 vintage was one that Bush decided was perfect for the limited-production (24 cases) Black Label Riesling ($26) that, while labeled simply "Riesling," is drier than Madroña's "Dry Riesling" (0.02 percent RS). Says Bush about this rarity, "[It] showcases everything I love about the varietal. Bone dry, bracing acidity, focused fruit and, in the rough, downright scary. But, given some aging,

I predict it will be the quintessential marriage of cool-climate European structure and sunshine-fresh California fruit." (Having recently tasted the 2005 Black Label, this Riesling will truly reward cellaring for five years or more.)

"The cool climate our vineyards enjoy affords us the opportunity to showcase Riesling without the fear of overly phenolic or tooty-fruity wines," Bush claims. "Instead, the result is wonderfully balanced Rieslings - bright and fresh with a structure and complexity seldom found in California Rieslings." (While Madroña Vineyards is relatively remote, some 45 miles east of Sacramento in the heart of Gold Country, its Web site is easily reached at www.madronavineyards.com.)

Some 220 miles in a straight line to the southwest, Santa Barbara County is home to Santa Barbara Winery, founded by Canadian-born Pierre Lafond in 1962. It was the first commercial winery to open in the county since the 1920s, and the vineyard Lafond planted in the cool, western part of the Santa Ynez Valley (now the Sta. Rita Hills AVA) was one of the earliest in those parts to include riesling - some seven acres planted in 1972. Veteran winemaker Bruce McGuire crafts two Rieslings (dry and off-dry) from this fruit, and plans to increase production from 300 cases to about 600 when seven new acres of riesling vines bear commercial-quality fruit.

Three clones account for the riesling in Lafond Vineyard. McGuire notes that they include "clone 12, clone 49 from Alsace and one from the old block called the 'Lafond' clone, the origin of which is obscure - we have no idea what it is or where it came from, but we know it produces wonderfully aromatic wines." The original seven acres provided fruit for the winery's last dry Riesling, vintage 2004 (vinification of the dry style has been suspended until the new acreage comes into production). "Some of the 35-year-old vines are infected with nematodes [microscopic worms], which hinder ripening sufficiently for a dry-style Riesling," McGuire explains. "There's no point in making a dry style if it's going to be too lean and tart." The off-dry production has not been similarly affected.

Gainey also calls Santa Ynez Valley home. Its 97-acre Home Ranch has included riesling - some 20 acres - since its initial planting in 1983. Winemaker Kirby Anderson experimented with a dry-style, barrel-fermented Riesling in 2002 (0.18 percent RS) but Gainey is better known for its slightly fleshier Limited Selection Riesling (0.79 percent RS; $15) and estate Riesling (0.91 percent RS; $13).

Other notable producers of Central and South-Central Coast dry Rieslings include Paraiso, which cites the fruit source as Santa Lucia Highlands on the label; Boyer from Richard Boyer Wines, labeled with a Monterey appellation, but made from Santa Lucia Highlands fruit; and Claiborne & Churchill, which has been producing an authentic, bone-dry, Alsace-style Central Coast Riesling for more than 25 years.

With so much activity up and down the Golden State, it appears that California Riesling is back in fashion once again, with a style for every palate and ramped-up production to meet increasing demand.

Lobbying for straightforward labeling

While use of the term "Johannisberg" on a label of domestic Riesling is now legally verboten via EU origin regulations that took effect January 1, 2006, more can be done to assist American consumers to understand the varietal. For example, it would be most helpful if Riesling made in a dry style were simply labeled "Dry Riesling." Thusly marked, the potential buyer needn't be a sleuth to figure out what's in the bottle. Otherwise, producers should provide a style explanation on the back label.

Pey-Marin Vineyards, located in Marin County, prints just such a guide on the back label of its estate-grown The Shell Mound Riesling ($22). A helpful style bar indicates three designations: "sweet" on one end, "off-dry" in the middle and "dry" on the other end. A marker positioned on the bar indicates where the Riesling in the bottle falls on the scale. Simple, effective and easy to comprehend. Alsace producer Zind-Humbrecht is shrewdly using a similar graphic on some of its back labels. - SP

By Steve Pitcher