2020 THE COMPOSER ENCORE
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WINEMAKER’S NOTES
A classically styled Riesling with a twist—long term elevage on the lees. The long term lees contact imbues the wine with a certain textural decadence that cannot be achieved in any other way. The wine has intense aromatics, linear palate, and incisive acidity. Straw color with intense aromatics of apple, tangerine, pear, lime peel, melon, lemongrass, and wildflowers. Some brioche and nutty tones are also present from the extended lees contact. The aromatic complexity follows through on the palate with notes of mineral, wet stone, apple, tangerine, lime peel, brioche, and melon. Nuances of mineral, wildflowers, and lemongrass echo on the long, vibrant finish. High flavor intensity and concentration on a tight, linear frame with vibrant acidity. Obvious lees texture imparted from a 6 year elevage on fine lees in neutral oak barrels. Drinking beautifully now, but properly cellared it should gracefully evolve over the next decade.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
A blend of 2 Riesling clones - Geisenheim 110 and Neustadt 90. With 60% neutral oak fermentation, 40% stainless steel fermentation. Batonnage twice/month for first 9 months, then monthly afterwards. 6 years elevage on the lees, with 0 g/L residual sugar, TA 7.4 g/L, pH 3.11, and Ethanol 13.1%.
CASES PRODUCED 55
VARIETAL 100% Riesling
APPELLATION Bacchus Vineyard and Dionysus Vineyard, White Bluffs
REVIEWS
95 POINTS | OWEN BARGREEN
“The 2020 ‘The Composer Encore’ is a GG-inspired Riesling that was sourced from old vines at the Bacchus Vineyard. This saw extended battonage and was released six years after being aged in barrel. Honeysuckle and shades of juicy nectarine combine with citrus blossoms on the nose. The palate is deep and rich with serious weight and finesse. This has a beautiful push-pull between fruit and non-fruit flavors. Coming off clean from this highly challenging vintage, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2026-2034.”
LABEL STORY
The terroir in eastern Washington is conducive to making truly great Riesling. Some of the vineyard sites, like the White Bluffs AVA, are on par with the best Riesling regions in the world.
The Composer Encore, our extended tirage Riesling, is a single-vineyard blend of the Geisenheim 198 and Neustadt 90 clones of Riesling. The vines were planted in 2005 in Bacchus Vineyard in the White Bluffs AVA. We have aged the wine on its lees for 5 years, which has allowed for an added dimension of complexity, depth, and compelling mouthfeel.
This wine is made in a dry style and, with the extended lees aging, offers a unique and beautiful expression of Riesling.