Read Holland Wiley Vineyard Riesling Anderson Valley 2023

Ashley’s foray into wine was somewhat unexpected, as with many of us. An avid equestrian, she was busy taking her science prerequisites at Oklahoma State University, and she had dreams of becoming a veterinarian when she realized she had time in her hectic schedule of courses for an elective. She enrolled in an “International Beverage Education” course and fell head over heels in love with wine. Upon graduation, she packed her bags and moved to California to pursue a career in sales and hospitality. It wasn’t long after starting at MacMurray that Ashley’s scientific curiosity re-emerged, and she began eagerly quizzing every winemaker willing to talk with her. Ashley decided, one final time, to change gears and delve into winemaking. Her first harvest was at Two Rivers in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. She spent four harvests learning how to make world-class white wines and credits this chapter of her life as the backbone of her winemaking philosophy.

In a similar fashion to Ashley, Brad Wiley of Wiley Vineyard did not start his journey with wine as the final goal but came to it through friendly suggestions and has prospered since planting his vineyard. After traveling West from New Jersey in 1971, Brad purchased 200 acres in Anderson Valley, encompassing redwood forest, ranch land, and fruit orchards. With five generations of family farmers behind him, Brad intended to start a small operation. He knew finding profitable crops would be challenging due to the property’s ridgetops and proximity to the ocean. In the 1970s, grape growing returned to Anderson Valley after Prohibition decimated the wine industry, which the Italian immigrants of the late 1800s started. It just so happened that Brad’s realtor was Tony Husch, a grower/winemaker credited as one of the “new wine pioneers” of Anderson Valley. Tony planted the seed of inspiration that grape vines might be the most successful crop for Brad’s land. Among the original vines, Brad planted 2.5 acres of Riesling in 1973, which is the same plot and vineyard where Ashley sources her Riesling. Despite farming ups and downs over the decades and a return to the East Coast to help with family business for a stint, Brad has continually come back to farm his vineyards each harvest. Since the early 2000s, he has presided over the land full-time, working to restore the redwood forests and create a sustainably farmed, profitable enterprise.

Inspired by Brad’s story and, more importantly, the quality of fruit from his 50-year-old vines, Ashley crafted her 2023 Wiley Vineyard Riesling. At the end of each Riesling vineyard row are a few Muscat vines that made their way into the blend, comprising 97% Riesling and 3% Muscat. Ashley co-fermented the varietals, placing half of the haul in neutral oak puncheons and the remaining half in stainless steel. The wine remained in these vessels for six months of aging and occasional lees stirring to create texture on the palate. Bright and effusive aromas of Pomelo, lilac, and pineapple on the nose offer charming hints of ginger spice and white clove. Guava and citrus peel overwhelm the palate with impressive power and concentration attributed to the vine age. Zesty acidity and a touch of minerality fill out the long finish.