Eden Hall’s rieslings age beautifully, and at five years of age its museum release is but half way through its life. An impressively lively style, evolving in slow motion to build toast and spice character over a well-defined core of granny smith and lime fruit. A riesling of impressive carry and seamless persistence. $19 at […]
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Contours is one of the great Australian mature release rieslings and 2008 one of the A-league, particularly youthful for its age. It’s all about citrus and stone fruits, holding impressive fruit poise in spite of its years, just beginning to hint at toasty nuttiness. Outstanding persistence and even, enduring intensity. $25 at The Glass and […]
readColin Forbes’ Cellar Matured Riesling is backward and lively at seven years of age, a wine of great persistence, accurate line and lively mineral acidity. Impressive fruit concentration is supported by rising toasty complexity. A bargain at $26 at Edinburgh Cellars.
readBuilt for the long-haul, this is a honed, streamlined, razor-structured riesling of high acid endurance. Fragrant lime blossom and granny smith apple are presented in crystal-clear fidelity. It will be some time before it’s released, and even longer before it reaches its best. Patience. $25 at Dan’s (2005).
readAll things considered, Wigan is my favourite Eden Valley riesling. 2008 is an earlier drinking vintage, which you can take as your invitation to get stuck in right away. Lime drop and fig intensity meet lime zest definition and the complexity of toast, butter and mixed spice. A riesling of outstanding persistence and textural mouth […]
readIs it just me, or is Virgilius becoming more refined, complex and textural with each new vintage? I love the modern expression of this label and 2010 encapsulates its finer points more precisely than ever: a brilliant green tint to a pale straw hue; effortless, low alcohol balance; layers of struck flint and gunpowder complexity; […]
readIntroducing a benchmark vintage for one of the Barossa’s long-lived flagships. This is a magnificent, show-stopping wine of great structure and poise, with more flesh and depth than the 2004 that preceded it. At eight year of age it retains an amazingly vibrant purple hue. The palate is remarkably poised, characterised by brilliant definition of […]
readAndrew Wigan likens 2009 to 1999: An underrated, unnoticed vintage, sandwiched between two great years. The effect is exacerbated by the sheer magnificence of 2010. 2009’s claim to fame is the first inclusion of Eden Valley fruit in Stonewell, contributing brightness and life. The Stonewell oak regime has been progressively downplayed for decades, and even […]
readAn elegant lunchtime pinot, blended from East Coast and Lower Tamar Valley vineyards. It’s a fresh and lively young thing, accented with pink pepper and beetroot character, underlined by tangy morello cherry notes. It’s elegant, precocious and varietal, backed by finely textured tannins and more than respectable length. $16 at Dan Murphy’s.
readA new label from Tassie’s rising star, Nick Glaetzer. “I’ve always been a fan of Beaujolais Nouveau, and this year I ran out of 2012 before the 2013 came on, so this was a great way to fill the gap,” he told me when I visited recently. It’s more than just a stopgap wine, an […]
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