For thoughts on Chateau Ste Michelle’s uniqueness and recent evolution, consult my extensive April, 2013 text designed to introduce recent tasting notes. Alluring floral notes on the nose of Ste Michelle-Loosen’s 2007 Riesling Eroica carry onto a buoyant (12% alcohol), still-juicy palate as if one were chomping on bittersweet mouthfuls of buddleia, iris, and jasmine. Apple and sweet lime play against wet stone and alkaline notes as if the score could have been written on the Rhine or Mosel; and fusil hints are discreet and as such intriguing rather than irritating. This displays genuine Spiel – in the sense both of interplay and playfulness – and finishes with still-refreshingly as well as mouthwateringly interwoven layers of flower, fruit, and mineral. Here’s hoping that some of the more recent Eroica Rieslings reach this level of complexity with time! Speaking of which, we’re moving into territory where it’s hard to point to a relevant track record – early vintages of Eroica having reflected path-finding – but my intuition is that this will continue to perform ravishingly for 2-3 more years. And if you bought it – for perhaps a bit less even than today’s modest price – you no doubt nabbed an extraordinary value. Tel. (425) 488-1133

The 2007 Eroica Riesling, made in collaboration with the Dr. Loosen estate in Germany’s Mosel region, is light to medium straw-colored with fragrant aromas of spring flowers, mineral, and honeysuckle. Crisp and just off-dry, in a Kabinett style, it delivers flavors of melon and pineapple. The wine is balanced and vibrant and may well evolve for several years in the manner of a top German Mosel Kabinett. It can be enjoyed now and over the next 5-7 years.Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington’s largest winery, continues to demonstrate that being big is not incompatible with high quality. The latest set of releases may be the strongest to date.Tel. (425) 415-3300; www.ste-michelle.com

This Riesling collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Ernst Loosen is no longer unique, but the wine has been fine-tuned over the years and sets a consistently high standard. This may be the most acidic ever made, but it is juicy rather than sour, and has a textural creaminess that adds both depth and length. The fruit flavors mix ripe apple and Mandarin orange, with hints of sweet lime and wet stone.——P.G.(12/1/2008)—— 90