West Coast Late Harvest Rieslings

[wondersofwine]

This week I opened a 2001 Hogue Late Harvest White Riesling Columbia Valley ((Washington) and a 1999 Greenwood Ridge Vineyards Mendocino Ridge White Riesling Late Harvest.
The Greenwood Ridge had more of what I look for in a late harvest riesling. It was 10.5% alcohol, medium gold color, mouth filling.
It had botrytis aroma with figs and flowers entering in. Taste of nectar, fig, pear syrup, lingering finish. I would score it as
very good, close to outstanding. (Maybe not the complexity of some German beerenauslese wines.) The label price was confusing--said $21.99 for 750 ml but it was a 375 ml bottle.
I suspect I paid $21.99 and that the 750 ml
was a typo. Purchased from Macarthur's Beverages in D.C.
The Hogue late harvest was pale straw color and had a muted aroma. I would describe the nose as sweet clover, pear and citrus. It didn't have the bouquet or taste I associate with botrytized (sp?) wines.
Somewhat bland I thought. It was 24 degrees Brix at harvest and 4.5% residual sugar. A note on the Greenwood Ridge website says that in the years when they are able to produce a late harvest riesling, the residual sugar is 15% to 25%. So there was quite a contrast between the two wines. The Greenwood Ridge was definitely a dessert wine.