Union Sacre Dry Riesling 2021
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Wilfred
Wong -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Union Sacre Dry Riesling has notes of pear, granny smith apple, citrus, and lilies.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Union Sacre Wines Dry Riesling is aromatic and bright with a sturdy palate presence. TASTING NOTES: This wine excels with aromas and flavors of smashed apples and light floral notes. Pair it with a seafood stew. (Tasted: August 15, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine & Spirits
Very dry, with scents of lemon blossom and bee pollen, this has a racy palate driven by lime and lime zest flavors, ending austerely with a whiff of petrol. Pair at the raw bar.
Other Vintages
2022-
Wine
Enthusiast
Union Sacre exists at the meeting of worlds. Made by two long time friends, Xavier and Philip, who arrived at the Central Coast from opposite ends of the Earth. Xavier is a WSET certified, oenology degree holding ex-boxer from France, Philip is a self-taught designer from Michigan who kind of misses living in a van.
Between the two of them, Xavier and Philip have 25+ years experience working in Central Coast wineries. Xavier has been cellar master or assistant winemaker for some of the Central Coasts most luminous wineries, including: Sans Liege, Arcadian and Herman Story. Philip cut his teeth at Proof Wine Collective before taking on the creative director role at Herman Story and Desparada. The wines of Union Sacre are focused on elegant, single vineyard, single varietal wines that are table friendly. Varietals include: Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sangiovese.
Union Sacre is an homage to beauty’s odd ability to build unexpected bridges. These are not wines of privilege and power, these are wines made from a lifetime of labor for the untelevised tables that unite the very heart of the world.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.