Reviews

The Wine Advocate Tasting History August 2008

David Schildknecht

THE GRAPES OF ROTH, SAG HARBOR

2007 The Grapes of Roth Riesling:  89
Roth was taken by the most recent crop at Split Rock Vineyards and decided to craft a 2007 Riesling to go with his exceptional Merlots (reviewed in issue 165), and compared with this wine, most of the best domestic Riesling come off as relatively coarse or severe in phenolics and opaque where they should be transparent. Scents of lemon, ginger, peach, and carnation catch your attention. The sheer juiciness, clarity, and persistence of fruit, and its dialog with apparent mineral partners (salt, wet stone) hold your interest; and zesty citrus and alluring spice send you back for the next sip.

Having grown up in a winemaking family in Germany, Roman Roth says he has been asked ever since he arrived in Long Island "Why don't you make a Riesling?"� I have been surprised by the quality of several Long Island wines from this variety, but still, on the whole one good answer to the aforementioned question would seem to be that this is not Riesling terroir.