The Wine Spectator, October 31 issue (cover: "Italy's new faces") By Matt Kramer (p. 30)

SO WHAT'S THE NEXT REALLY BIG WHITE?

Recently I was explaining to a friend --- who has only a casual interest in wine--my contention that Syrah will be The Next Really Big Red. He listened politely and said OK, fine, but what's the next really big white?
For once in my life, I was momentarily speechless. I simply hadn't thought about the next Really Big White. After all, my criteria for really big status are: a) there's a lot of it grown, preferably worldwide; b) it has to have what I call "pinnacle wines," which are bottlings universally recognized as profound and emotionally thrilling; c) the grape must grow successfully in a variety of climates & soils; d) the wine has to be "obvious," which is to say that it's not overly subtle or inaccessible.

When you think about it, there simply aren't many plausible candidates to be the Next Really Big White. Oh, there are pretty of swell whites yet to be fully celebrated, but none fulfill all the criteria for really big status(Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Viognier, Marsanne, Trebbiano, etc.).
Only one wine qualifies: Riesling. But nobody wants Riesling, you say. Tut, tut, tut. It may seem that way now. But the business of Really Big is about two things: fashion and economics. Sure, right now Riesling is not ardently pursued. But 30 years ago it was beloved by every stratum of winedom, from experts to Sunday sippers. It's a matter of fashion---which is, by definition, changeable.

Don't forget economics. To be really big, a variety has to deliver high quality at generous yields. If Riesling has a problem, it's that it's overly generous. Greedy growers in France's Alsace region can easily harvest 7 tons per acre and the Australia can (and often do) deliver double-digit yields. Riesling puts out.
Of course, when people think of Riesling, they think of Germany, which has more than 50,000 acres of it planted. No one disputes that Germany is the epicenter of great Riesling.
But what's less often recognized is just how successful Riesling is elsewhere. Washington has more Riesling planted than any other U.S. state (about 2,200 acres). Indeed, Ch. Ste. Michelle sells 600,000 cases of Johannisberg Riesling each year, making it the American market leader.
California, once a bastion for Riesling---20 years ago it had more than 11,000 acres---still issues some mighty fine Riesling. Trefethen Vineyards in Napa Valley and Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley are two stalwarts that have actually planted more R recently, because their wines are simply so good. R is successful in numerous spots in CA, such as Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties, to name but two.

Then there's Australia. Most winelovers don't associate Australia with Riesling, but some of the better bottlings from Claire Valley, north of Adelaide, prove that Australian Riesling is world-class. And, to their everlasting credit, the producers of Claire Valley have agreed to bottle their Rieslings using screwcaps. Good on ya, mates!).

Of course, there's Austria, which makes famously good R. Interestingly, though, they grow more Gruner Veltliner than any other variety.

Alsace remains the benchmark. Once you've tasted a mature (10 to 15-year-old) Riesling from a top-notch producer, you know why Alsace is the motherhouse of dry Riesling. Napa's Smith-Madrone is re-releasing its superb 1997 Riesling at $50.00 a bottle.
Right now nobody is betting on Riesling. If you say, "hey, how about putting in some Riesling? It's gonna be the Next Really Big white" you'll be classed as a grand cru loony.

Nevertheless, no other white grape fills the bill like Riesling. It's the only possible choice.