The 2008 Poet’s Leap Botrytis Riesling was produced from 75% botrytis-infected grapes finished at 15.7% residual sugar and 11.3% alcohol. Medium straw-colored, it offers up a captivating nose of tropical fruits, apricot, and peach buttressed by a vibrant acid structure, a velvety texture, and a lengthy, pure finish. It should evolve much like a top German BA. Long Shadows and its seven labels, each with its own star winemaker, is just the beginning of Alan Shoup’s visionary project. He has purchased controlling interest in the Wallulla Vineyard from the Den Hoed brothers who developed it and who will continue to manage this huge project on the cliffs overlooking the Columbia River. Shoup has renamed it The Benches. It must be seen to be believed, encompassing 20 miles of road carved through the development. Shoup’s plan is to have each Long Shadow label have its own cave built into the landscape. Some fruit from the Benches is already being incorporated into some of the Long Shadows wines. Armin Diel is the winemaker/partner in the Poet’s Leap label. The Saggi label is produced by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari.Tel. (509) 526-0905; www.longshadows.com

A Poet’s Leap botrytis-affected Riesling was first done in 2005; this is the second. Opens with a sensational smorgasbord of scents from honey and citrus to pineapple, celery, cucumber, orange blossom, lemon verbena and so on and on. Full bodied and extremely youthful, this has a long life ahead.——P.G.(12/31/2010)—— 94