The Ghost of 413 Riesling

So fitting is a name for a wine that it is borderline obnoxious.

For a larger-produced and consumer-friendly priced wine from Giant Wine Co., you can’t find this phantom of a libation anywhere. Crafted by Woodinville heavyweight fermenters Chris Gorman and Mark McNeilly, these boys know how to put notoriety and exclusivity behind their grape juice – Gorman’s facility is only open two days a year and after 10 private years, McNeilly has just recently celebrated the grand opening of his tasting room.

The sub-par Web site does give a eight month outdated (but kind of useful frame of reference) restaurant and retail guide to buying their wines. Esquin is always a far bet when it comes to locating mystery wines. Whole Foods seems to reign ownership over the label but it sells quickly and quietly.

Many tell stories of the value of the wine and the prestige behind its proprietors, but few have many bottles on hand. Released in August with no rhyme or reason for the name or the wine itself, the Ghost of 413 Riesling from Columbia Valley seems to strive to be unrivaled and unique at its $10 price point.

And oddly enough, I forgot up until tonight that I was one of those storytellers about the 2006 Red Ghost. Wish I had a better memory, thanks a lot, Dad.

100% stainless steel fermented and aged, no winemaking skeletons are found in this ghost’s closet – everything is so fresh and so clean, clean.

The Ghost is more of an old world take on the varietal as opposed to the inflated Washington wine trend of off-dry, citrus-blasted Rieslings of late.

I say “old world” in the sense of minerality – think uber German slate and petrol, yah? Pine resin, mandarin orange, grapefruit, nutmeg and peaches round out the glass to give the wine approachable aromas to suffice both styles of Riesling drinkers.

The mandarin fruit and peach is plush in the mouth, fleshy and lush yet balanced by acidity in the midpalate, this Riesling is stroked lightly with honey in the finish resulting in citrus tart cleanliness.

Grading high on the “tasty with roasted chicken” scale, this immensely food-friendly booze was an all-around good purchase yet still a conundrum and wine for thought…

I ain’t afraid of no ghosts.

Score: 8.