Yes, I made this wine, so I should be assumed guilty of being biased. However… allow me to indulge, especially since I no longer am associated with Renaissance in any way.
1994 was not a ‘good’ year for the whites at Renaissance (Sierra Foothills/North Yuba AVA): overall, their acidity was a tad too low, their alcohol levels a tad too high (for my own taste). So, among the better years, which I assumed will age perfectly for 15-25 years, there were a few bottles which, honestly, I thought I will never bother opening - some 1994s, a few 1993s, and 1992s (the worst of them).
A couple of weeks ago, as I was a the height of my cold (graciously passed on to me by my 4 years old), we unexpectedly had some non wine-geek friends over for dinner and I opened one of those, an 1994 Dry Riesling. My nose was stuffed, my sinuses were inflamed, but the aroma of the wine penetrated through the clouds and the one sip I allowed myself - I thought - was amazingly bright, perfectly balanced aged example… Well beyond any expectations I had (which, admittedly, were not high).
As my health returned, a couple of nights ago, I opened another one, just to check if this was real or if I was hallucinating… and it was as expected: a bit over the hill, slightly flat, sort of drinkable. Ok, there you are.
This evening, the only bottle ready for action in our fridge was another one of the same, 1994 Riesling. To save us the walk to the cellar, we just opened it and — yes, it’s another beautiful bottle! Medium gold in color, fresh honeysuckle/apricot, pine resin, and nuts, medium body, dry yet richly textured and richly flavored, with a great mid palate and finish. Lively, complex, distinctive, and supremely typical mature riesling.
In style this is close to neither the Germans nor the Alsacians: it’s dryer and more authoritative than both, with less delicacy and more punch, but a brute it is not, there is too much complexity and goings on for that - it’s just another beast…
So, the bottom line is: those of you who have the taste for older rieslings are urged to get their hands on some of these older vintages, which they have at least in magnums. I promise you you’ll be amazed if you find any of the 91, 95, 98, 01, or 02, but nearly any vintage would be a treat if the cellaring was good.