2015 Charles Smith Wines Riesling Kung Fu Girl

Pale, bright yellow. Peach and apricot on the nose, plus a slight fusel complexity. Modest sweetness (actually 14 grams per liter residual sugar) is nicely countered by strong acidity (the pH here is 3.04) and a touch of minerality, giving this fruit bomb good energy and grip. Always a top value, this is marketing genius Charles Smith's most famous cash cow and it's not at all overdone. Since I tasted it this summer, Smith sold Kung Fu Girl and several of his other hugely successful low-priced brands (e.g., Boom Boom! Syrah, The Velvet Devil Merlot) to Constellation Brands for an ungodly sum.

Juicy and lively, with lots citrus blossom, lychee and a touch of lime, the 2015 Riesling Kung Fu Girl is medium-bodied, vibrant and crisp on the palate, with terrific purity, integrated acidity and a great finish. It's a steal at the price and will drink nicely for a year or more.