With a production of 870 bottles, this is one of the larger production wines for a brand described more as a passionate hobby than a profitable business by its owners. Their fanaticism is evident in every riesling they make, exemplified in an impeccable balance of acidity and sweetness. Painstaking avoidance of botrytis-affected fruit makes this […]
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Shining Dawn announces the dawning of a new era in New Zealand riesling. I doubt the country has ever seen a wine quite like this. Indeed, it should not be possible. With a sweetness of 320g/L and an acidity of 17.3g/L (double that of many dessert wines), the Auburn crew repeated the measurements in disbelief […]
readBlair Walter understands his vineyards and wines more intimately than anyone I know in Central Otago, and it’s rare for him to be lost for words in explaining anything. Yet even he can’t account for the unprecedented mineral expression of Block 1 in the pristine 2012 season. This is a riesling at once deeply chalky, […]
readAt an unctuous 322g/L of sweetness, very few dessert wines of such proportions are able to get through fermentation without developing the telltale off-characters of stressed out yeast. BDG is amazingly clean and pure in spite of its figures, which must be credited to proprietor Dave Paterson’s experience with making ice wine in Canada’s Okanagan […]
readThe sheer brilliance of engineering that Pegasus Bay brings to botrytis riesling is something to behold. By some form of unspoken magic, they manage to take fruit of concentration of epic proportions and rampant energy and pull it into an impeccably honed and tightly poised finish. Butter-like smoothness is somehow married with taut, citrus zest […]
readPegasus has crafted a mesmerising noble that skilfully negotiates the precarious balance between luscious generosity and taut, lively acidity. The complexity packed in here is mind-blowing, capturing every stone fruit and all manner of citrus, along with pear, baked apple, fig and spices of every kind. The seamless confidence with which it delivers such a […]
readDelicately poised granny smith apples, lime zest and lemon blossom are faithfully captured in a clean fruit profile that lingers long with pepper and kaffir lime zest, carried by impressive acid poise and fruit energy. Sweetness is impeccably restrained, allowing the finish to linger crisp and clean. $20 at Wine Online.
readI love the way pepper plays in this wine, with kaffir lime-like spice and crunchy granny smith apple notes that infuse it with particularly lively and fresh poise, even at two years of age. A pristine fruit profile hovers long and clean amidst fine, mineral acidity, with subtle sweetness tucked neatly into its folds. Hand […]
readThe interplay here between concentrated, zesty fruit of outstanding line and persistence, well gauged sweetness and electric acidity is captivating. Lovely complexing notes of toast, roast chestnuts and honey well up under a delightfully poised core of lemon zest and preserved lemon fruit. Impeccably complete off-dry riesling. $24 at Cracka.
readThe bouquet sings with fragrant apple blossom, lime zest and kaffir lime fruit, cascading into a clean and zesty palate of impeccable fruit presence and considerable concentration. 40g/L of sweetness (equivalent to a teaspoon of sugar per glass) sits comfortably, letting its finely mineral acidity have the final word on the finish. Testimony to the […]
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