I smell candied pear. The familiar aroma of Australian Riesling. And citrus fruit. It's all very Australian. Not quite. The winemaker, Dan Philips, is American. The Roogle - half kangaroo, half eagle - stands for just that: the American influence on an Australian Riesling. Where, I wonder, is the American influence? The grapes for the 2008 Marquis Philips Roogle Riesling from R Wines were sourced from three different wine regions in Australia - the Great Southern Ranges, Barossa Valley and King Valley, grown mostly on sandy loam and clay. Although the Roogle smells so intrinsically like an Australian Riesling it is, in fact, only 93% Riesling. The Australian wine law allows for 15% of a different variety (or varieties) to be blended in and still be labeled as a single-variety wine. In the case of the Marquis Philips Roogle Riesling the winemaker Dan Philips decided to blend in 7% Gewürztraminer - to add some spice to the wine. Blending a little bit of Gewurztraminer into a Riesling is not unusual in California. This must be Roogle's eagle part.
The Roogle is an intensely refreshing dry Riesling, the alcohol content of 13% has been integrated quite well. I sip from an ocean of pineapples without feeling the heat of alcohol. But alas! it does not last. It falls a bit short on the mid-palate, the tropical fruit flavors are dribbling quickly into a relatively short finish, where the alcohol level of 13% finally does become noticeable. What is left is the candied pear fruit flavor that remind me of white gummy bears. Although I like gummy bears I am a bit disappointed. I wish it would last a bit longer. But then I remember the initial refreshing quality, that tropical breeze. And so I sip again.
The 2008 Roogle Riesling from Marquis Philips is a basic Riesling, to be expected in this price range. But it is brimful with tropical fruit. I recommend drinking it with food such as chicken or pork where the crispness of the wine complements the meal.