TRENDS - Riesling's revival, Embraced by a new generation, the grape sees a surge in popularity and a strain on supply by Steve Pitcher

Will Riesling soon be one of Americans' top white wine choices? It might. And that's a happy prospect for some California producers.
Riesling emerged as the fastest-growing white wine in America for the third year in a row, according to data from the Nielsen Co., growing almost as fast as Pinot Noir. Sales of Riesling have increased 54 percent in the last three years, according to Nielsen, which noted that consumers spent over $33 million more on Riesling in 2007 than in 2006.
Wine industry trend spotters call Riesling's rise a "resurgence." Riesling lovers, long considered hopelessly out of fashion, chuckle under their breath and call it "revenge." Either way, the increased consumer interest in what many connoisseurs consider the world's noblest white wine is remarkable.
Admittedly, with 20 percent of the total wine market, No. 1 Chardonnay won't be overtaken in the near term. But with 2.2 percent of the American wine sales market, Riesling has about as much presence as Zinfandel, a popular red.
Stu Smith, co-proprietor of Smith-Madrone Vineyards on Napa Valley's Spring Mountain, a leader among California's dry Riesling producers for more than 30 years, suggests the reason behind the varietal's surging popularity is generational.
"We've skipped past the generation that grew up with the unfortunate experience of Liebfraumilch and sugary sweet Rieslings of the past to the 20- and 30-somethings who are not burdened by such preconceptions," he says. "These consumers have come to Riesling on their own, by way of sommeliers and retailers, and have found a wine they really enjoy. And they've spread the word."
Getting people to try Riesling at tastings used to be a chore, Smith noted. "People would shun the wine, insisting that all Rieslings were sweet and that they only drink dry wine. Today's younger consumers are eager to try something new, and high-quality dry Riesling strikes a chord."
Riesling producers everywhere are benefiting from the surge, particularly those in the New World, including California, where demand has noticeably begun to strain supply.
Most California Rieslings are dry or slightly off-dry in style, especially those produced by a handful of smaller wineries, including Smith-Madrone, Stony Hill and Trefethen in Napa Valley; Navarro, Greenwood Ridge and Handley Cellars in Anderson Valley; Madrona Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills appellation of El Dorado; Claiborne & Churchill in the Central Coast; and Santa Barbara Winery and Gainey Vineyard in Santa Barbara County.
More recent additions to the quality Riesling roster include Esterlina and Lazy Creek in Anderson Valley; Pey-Marin in Marin County; Paraiso in Monterey County; Clos du Bois in Sonoma County; and Beringer in Napa Valley.
The problem is, there's not enough Riesling planted to satisfy demand - only 2,160 acres in California, with another 700 poised to come into production next year. So California's largest producers of Riesling - Kendall-Jackson and Fetzer (including the Jekel brand), each at more than 100,000 cases of the slightly sweet style priced around $10 - are hustling to increase production.
Kendall-Jackson recently planted an additional 80 acres of Riesling in Monterey County, and Fetzer has imported German Riesling the last couple of years, augmenting its Valley Oaks California-appellation program with 15,000 cases each year of separate bottlings of German Riesling. This year, with the weak dollar making imports less attractive, Fetzer is relying exclusively on California Riesling.
Even more dramatic measures may be required if demand continues to escalate. Grapegrowers might even have to graft other grapevines to Riesling.
Everyday Chardonnay transformed to a higher use? Now there's a thought. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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