2023 Ara Riesling
94 Points | Vinous – A dry and deeply enjoyable Riesling with notes of lemon, petrol, star fruit, and pineapple with a mineral crushed rock finish.
Ara is the name of a constellation and is one of the very first riesling labels Jimi Brooks created after founding Brooks in 1998. Jimi’s passion and interests in mythology and astrology were often shown through the creation of his first wines.
Only 150 cases produced!
Flavor Notes
2023 Ara Riesling is a Dry wine.
Learn more about the IRF Riesling Scale
94 Points | Vinous - The 2023 Riesling Ara is youthfully coy, mixing nuances of mint, sage, crushed stone and nectarine to form its delicate bouquet. Silken in feel, it displays incredible depth, with masses of tart citrus and green apple intensity enhanced by savory herbal tones, all supported by a core of stimulating acidity. The finish is quite long, echoing sour melon over a saline concentration that adds crunchy persistence. While some will take pleasure in enjoying the Ara today, it will be at its best after a few years of cellaring. Easily one of the most exciting Rieslings I have ever tasted from Oregon.
Laser-sharp acidity drives a complex array of citrus and stone fruit, with classic petrol notes weaving through golden apple and crushed rock minerality.
General Manager/Sommelier
Built by the sun. Laser focused citrus fruit with a little petrol sneaking through. Granny smith apple, lemon juice, and crushed stone. Can spend time in bottle or in your glass. Your choice.
Production Associate
Winemaking Notes
The 2023 growing season kicked off with a late budbreak, reminiscent of 2011. Following budbreak, a sudden shift to warm, dry weather marked the season, with only one June rain event.
Ideal summer weather prevailed until a brief hot spell in August. Harvest commenced in late August, progressing smoothly until rains in September, which delayed picking but alleviated drought stress.
Overall, fruit quality remained excellent, with balanced acidity and moderate sugars. While rain disrupted harvest timing, some fruit still met the 100-day bloom-to-harvest rule, suggesting no significant quality differences pre- and post-rain. 2023 wines will have beautiful concentration, exceptional freshness, and flavors.
- Type
- White
- Varietal
- Riesling
- Vintage
- 2023
- Vineyards
- Brooks Estate, Yamhill, Orchard Fold
- Filtration
- Cross-Flow
- Case production
- 100
- Crush format
- Straight to press
- Bottling date
- 2024-04-03
- Vessel
- Stainless
- Alcohol percentage
- 12.5
- Residual sugar
- 5.41 g/L
- Ph
- 2.93
- Acid
- 8.74 g/L
Download Technical Sheet
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