Crane Lake loves to be under $5.  It make the wine cheap to hoc in restaurants, and it makes it even cheaper for store shelfs.  In New York this wine is regularly around the $3.49 range, and while it’s not quite so cheap in Ohio, it’s still under $5.  With that kind of value it’s tough to resist, especially in the Riesling market, where the competition seems noticeably absent.  So can 2010 Crane Lake Riesling pull a black swan, or should the drinker fly the coop? 

Sight:  A moderate gold, not overly deep, a bit watery.  Young looking.

Smell:  There a decent amount of honey and white grape.  It’s got a bit of pair and green apple.

Sip:  There’s something vaguely rubber or latex going on.  This is the sort of imperfection that occasionally happens in Riesling.  There’s a nice honey, pear, and apricot flavor, to compensate, but the background notes are distracting.  It’s moderately sweet, the crispness is lacking, and the mouth feel is a bit too heavy. [A.B.V. 11%]

Savor:  There’s an ok length to the finish, but it’s a rather under-ripe nectarine flavor going on.

Overall, it’s a questionable choice for a Riesling.  Crane Lake Riesling has some definite imperfections, but those are potentially alright.  For example, this wine might not be bad for a splash in a dish that class for a sweet white, or a glass once the good stuff is gone.  It’s not a primary bottle, but a respectable backup.

Verdict:  More Goose than Swan.
Price:  $4.49
California