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Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling
Long Shadows Vintners
United States - Washington - Columbia Valley

Inspired by the greatest wines of Germany and crafted by one of Germany's most highly acclaimed Riesling producers, Armin Diel, proprietor of the renowned Schlossgut Diel.

Juicy kumquat and lively grapefruit aromas and flavors are laced with hints of white peach and honey with a pleasing streak of minerality throughout. Beautifully balanced with just the right amount of racy acidity, the off-dry finish is long and clean.

Specifications
Appellation
Columbia Valley
Wine Type
White
Varietal(s)
100% Riesling
Vinification
Handpicked grapes were sorted and gently whole cluster pressed to avoid imparting bitterness in the finished wine before fermenting in stainless steel tanks at a cool 60 degrees F to preserve fresh fruit aromas and flavors. Afterwards, the winemaking team carefully evaluated each lot, using only those components that contributed to a perfectly balanced final blend.
Production
4,811 (9-liter cases)

Reviews and News

2022 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 94 PTS - OB

2022 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 94 PTS - OB

owen bargreen logo"The 2022 Poet's Leap mainly comes from the Grenache Vineyard with vines that were planted in the 1980s. This wine was originally made in conjunction with German producer Armand Diel. Only 1G/L sugar, this Trocken style has fantastic tension with petrol, lemon/lime zest, juicy white peach, wet stone and shades of Gravenstein apple. Nicely textured, this is gorgeous stuff that is amongst the finest made in Washington State."

- Owen Bargreen (2023), 94 pts

2022 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - WE

2022 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - WE

wine enthusiast 92 pts"How does this wine exist for $20? Such a value. Its Bosc pear and donut peach aromas are laced with notes of tangerine and gardenias. The Poet's silky texture and velvety mouthfeel escort flavors like lemon soda and mandarin orange slices. - Michael Alberty"

- Wine Enthusiast (November 2023), 92 pts - Best Buy

2021 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 94 PTS - WE

2021 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 94 PTS - WE

wine enthusiast 94 pts"How do I love thee? Let me sip the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height of your aromas and flavors of spicy baked pear, passion fruit, chilled Golden Delicious apple slices and ginger. Your acidity adds a glow to my palate, after which a trace of petrol drives me home. - Michael Alberty"

- Wine Enthusiast (November 2023), 94 pts - Top 100 Best Buys 2023 #19

2021 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JS

2021 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JS

james suckling hq logo plain"Notes of dried apples and sliced pears with honeysuckle and honey. Medium- to full-bodied with ripe, creamy stone fruit and vivid acidity. Fruity and slightly off-dry with a flavorful finish. Drink now."

- James Suckling (March 2023), 92 pts

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 93 PTS - WE

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 93 PTS - WE

wine enthusiast 93 pts"This shows intense detail and complexity in the aromas of lime zest, wet slate, white peach, flower and a whiff of botrytis. The palate is just a hair off-dry, balanced by electric acidity. It's a textbook picture of Washington Riesling at its best. - SEAN P. SULLIVAN"

- Wine Enthusiast (May 2022), 93 pts

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 93 PTS - VINOUS

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 93 PTS - VINOUS

vinous logo"The 2020 Riesling Poet's Leap is another sensational effort that is truly one of the great wines of its kind made in Washington. At 1.1 g/L, it shows petrol and wet stones mingling with Japanese pear and gooseberry tones on the nose. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured with outstanding length. Orange blossom water, Sprite and sweetened cantaloupe flavors mingles with crushed wet rock tones. The verve, weight and length of the wine are outstanding. - Owen Bargreen"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (March 2022), 93 pts

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JS

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JS

james suckling hq logo plain"Aromas of honeysuckle, peach and dried herbs. Full-bodied with bright acidity and honeyed notes of apricot and lavender. Good intensity. Drink now."

- James Suckling (August 2022), 92 pts

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - JD

2020 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - JD

jeb dunnuck logo 250"Juicy green apple, lychee, and tart pineapple notes all emerge from the 2020 Riesling Poet's Leap, a medium-bodied, lively, balanced, impressively textured off-dry Riesling that can be drunk any time over the coming decade or more. It's surprising how well this wine can age, and it's certainly up with the top examples of the variety in Washington State."

- Jeb Dunnuck (July 2022), 90 pts

2019 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JS

2019 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JS

james suckling hq logo plain"Peaches, white flowers, lemon curd and some toasty, musky notes on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with sharp acidity and a creamy, peachy palate. Bright and delicious. Dry. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (July 2021), 92 pts

2019 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JD

2019 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - JD

jeb dunnuck logo 250"Honeyed green apples, hints of lychee, and baking spice notes all emerge from the 2019 Poet's Leap Riesling, which is consistently one of the top examples of this variety from the New World. Medium-bodied, with a clean, mineral-laced style on the palate, it has notable acidity and a subtle off-dry style that's going to be incredibly versatile on the dinner table."

- Jeb Dunnuck (May 2021), 92 pts

2019 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - VINOUS

2019 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - VINOUS

vinous logo"Pure, subtle scents of green apple, lime oil, anise, licorice, ginger and dusty herbs, with riper notes of white stone fruits emerge with air. Penetrating, flavorful wine with an initial impression of sweetness leavened by ripe, harmonious acidity and accents of flowers, ginger and herbs. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2020), 90 pts

2018 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - VINOUS

2018 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - VINOUS

vinous logo"Subtle stone fruits, orange zest and ginger on the bracing nose, plus a trace of medicinal herbs. Shows a distinct sweetness on entry, then the firm acidity and spiciness take over in the middle palate, enlivening the very pure stone fruit and ripe citrus flavors. This is sappy, ripe and delicious right now but has the stuffing to gain in complexity with bottle age. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2019), 91 pts

2018 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - Editors' Choice - WE

2018 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - Editors' Choice - WE

wine enthusiast 91 pts"Vibrant aromas of pear, flowers, Meyer lemon and herb are followed by off-dry drinking, medium-bodied Nestea iced tea flavors. Vibrant acidity backs it up, heightening the interest. It's delicious, but give it some time to open up. SEAN P. SULLIVAN"
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2020), 91 pts - Editors' Choice

2017 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - VINOUS

2017 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - VINOUS

vinous logo"(Pale, bright yellow. Intriguing aromas of Cranapple, lime, ginger and botanical herbs. Broad, spicy and energetic on the palate, showing a brisk touch of orange zest. The tactile, dusty back end displays sneaky rising length and subtle fruit-and-spice complexity. A very good vintage for this bottling. (12.5% alcohol) - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2018), 91 pts

2017 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - Editors' Choice - WE

2017 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 91 PTS - Editors' Choice - WE

wine enthusiast 91 pts"Generous aromas of lime leaf, citrus, wet slate and white peach lead to off-dry stone-fruit and citrus flavors that stretch out on the palate. It brings a beautiful sense of acid balance with an impressively long finish. Give it some additional time in bottle to see it at its best."
- Wine Enthusiast (November 2018), 91 pts - Editors' Choice

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - WA

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 92 PTS - WA

wa92"The 2016 Riesling Poet's Leap is very pretty, offering up aromas of lime, lemon oil, white flowers and very subtle petrol that wouldn't be out of place in the Mosel. On the palate, it's light to medium-bodied, racy and mouthwatering, with lovely intensity and purity, concluding with a stony finish. It's a beautiful wine and carries a very modest price tag. - William Kelley"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #237, June 2018), 92 pts

Go to Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS + 100 TOP VALUE FOR 2017 - WS

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS + 100 TOP VALUE FOR 2017 - WS

wine spectator 90 ptswinespectator 100 topvalue 2017 logo"Snappy and refined, offering expressive star fruit and slate aromas that lead to sleek, lingering apricot and spice flavors. Drink now. 4,900 cases made.—Tim Fish"
- Wine Spectator (December 31st 2017), 90 pts + 100 TOP VALUE FOR 2017

Go to Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - WE

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - WE

wine enthusiast 90 pts"This wine's aromas are bright, with honeysuckle, ripe peach, mandarin orange, slate and lime zest notes. It drinks just off dry, with abundant stone fruit flavors, mouthwatering acidity and a balance that's spot-on."
- Wine Enthusiast (November 2017), 90 pts

Go to Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - VINOUS

2016 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 90 PTS - VINOUS

vinous logo"(12.5% alcohol): Very pale straw-green. Aromas and flavors of orange zest, peach, ginger and five-spice powder. Offers good body and purity, with a touch of sweetness buffered by ripe acidity and just enough minerality to maintain its shape. Finishes with good spicy persistence, an intriguing element of salinity and a late note of lime blossom.- Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2017), 90 pts

Go to Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling

2015 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 93 PTS - IWRep

2015 Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling - 93 PTS - IWRep

international wine report logo"The 2015 Poet's Leap Riesling from Long Shadows is another gorgeous bottling from this estate. The wine was sourced from the Sagemoor, Underwood Mountain and Phil Church vineyard, as well as Horse Heaven Hills vineyards. Head winemaker Armin Diel has crafted a brilliant new release wine here. The wine begins with a bouquet of apricot, poached pear, cut grass and cantaloupe. The wine yields bright flavors of white peach, Pazzaz apple, honeydew melon and hints of lemongrass. This is absolutely refreshing and gorgeous as this wine has a bright structure despite the heat of the vintage. The 2015 Poet’s Leap is showcasing why this is possibly the best Kabinett Riesling in the state. (Best 2016-2026) — O.B."
- International Wine Report (September 2016), 93 pts

Go to Long Shadows Poet's Leap Riesling

Producer Information: Long Shadows Vintners

Long Shadows Vintners is a collection of elite Washington State wineries comprised of internationally acclaimed winemakers from major wine regions around the world. Founded by Washington wine pioneer Allen Shoup ...
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