March 1, 2023
By rackhouse
In 2008, Charles Smith Wines was recognized by Wine & Spirits magazine as one of the "Best New Wineries of the Last Ten Years" and as "Winery of the Year" in its annual buying guide. In 2009, Food & Wine magazine awarded Charles "Winemaker of the Year"; in 2010, Seattle Magazine recognized Charles as its "Winemaker of the Year"; and in 2014, Wine Enthusiast also named him "Winemaker of the Year.”
Charles Smith’s knowledge of and respect for old-world winemaking techniques coupled with his commitment to how people actually drink wine are what make his wines so unique. His reds undergo extended maceration on the skins, with no racking after malolactic fermentation is finished. This allows for a longer time on the lees, building mouthfeel. For whites, he foregoes battonage, and they are fined and filtered for stability. And once they’re ready to drink, Charles says drink it any way you like it.
Ancient Lakes sits on the western edge of the Columbia Basin near the town of Quincy. Here are the complex soil patterns of basalt and sedimentary bedrock, topped by Quincy loam and windblown loess.
It takes an unconventional winemaker to make a totally unexpected dry Riesling. One night, Charles was eating Chinese takeout and watching a fight scene in a notorious martial arts film when he had an idea: a killer white wine made to be paired with Asian food. Just like that, Kung Fu Girl was born. White peach, mandarin orange, and apricot are delivered with a core of minerality that makes this dry Riesling shimmer with energy and freshness. With all these aromatics and flavors floating around, pair this wine with Spicy ramen, Sriracha pork tacos, or Chinese takeout.
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