Forge Cellars Classique Dry Riesling

The Dry Riesling Classique is the most important wine in the Forge Cellars portfolio, as it represents our work on a larger scale. All of our lieux-dits, each vinified separately, are the basis of this wine and represent the DNA of Classique. In the words of Louis Barruol, “This wine is like you and me—we are individually unique, but we represent all of our ancestors at the same time. We carry their traits.” The 2018 vintage marks the 6th consecutive score of 91+ points (Wine Spectator) for this wine. At Forge Cellars, we systematically adhere to the less than 4 g/L threshold because this is how we want to express our idea of what we call “Bone Dry” Riesling. We have experienced perfect balance, precision, style, finesse, and terroir expression between 1.5 g/L and 4 g/L. This low level of residual sugar creates stable wines that allow us to work at very low total sulfur levels, and can firmly be considered “dry.” Forge Cellars has quickly become known as a benchmark producer for Dry Riesling in the Finger Lakes (Upstate New York) and in the United States. In 2017, their Dry Riesling Classique appeared on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year in position number 31. Partners, Louis Barruol (Château de Saint Cosme in Gigondas, France), and Richard Rainey have been working together since their first vintage in 2011 to produce hand-crafted, terroir-driven, bone dry Riesling and cool-climate Pinot Noir. Focusing on the east side of Seneca Lake—the deepest of the Finger Lakes at 620ft—the duo works with several premier sites with considerable slope and an abundance of different clones and soils. They have long-term relationships with growers throughout the region, and work closely with them to cultivate healthy grapes and develop viticultural programs that work well for each individual site. Bellows is the estate vineyard at Forge Cellars, which is farmed biointesively and densely-planted to Riesling and Pinot Noir.