David: Have you tried any Michigan rieslings? (Although I think they do Gewurztraminer better.)
Mark: So, how many of those Kyrgizistani ringers do you have in your cellar now???
Did a spectacular seminar/tasting some years ago for the SWE wherein I sourced rieslings from every region of quality I could find. It was fun, and intriguing, to contrast and compare the attributes of each---Australia (Leeuwin and Clare and Eden), Austria, Alto Adige, Lombardy, Alsace, Mosel, Nahe, Hessen, Rhein, Finger Lakes, Michigan, Washington, Oregon, Anderson Valley, Monterey, Napa, and Chile (yes, and it was good too).)
We stuck with the dry and off-dry styles, putting the stickies in another classification.
Each was distinctive. Some were direct contrasts to others (primarily sugar driven and climate driven). Showed massive diversity riesling is capable of, while maintaining its core identity. Ranged from flat, dull, insipid to steel razors slashing, from fruit to minerality.
As I recall, for those who keep score and go to Fight Club, the Mosel held pride of place, but Australia/Clare, Alsace, Austria blew people away. Michigan was a pleasant surprise,with rieslings capable of style, structure and balance. Chile, while sweeter and more bland, was even more of a pleasant surprise.
Even the riesling freaks were daunted by the sometimes slashing acidity and austerity of the Austrian, and to a certain extent the Clare rieslings hit the palate----they were so austere one could indulge a masochistic sybaritism, enjoying the incisive bite and puckery snap of razor sharp minerals and acids while it almost hurt at the same time. (But as usual, what puts of casual drinkers about riesling is what gives us fanatics our jollies.
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And, no, I don't remember all the brands, so I'm not listing any. Go look for yourselves, slackers.