At an altitude of 480m, Lodge Hill is among the highest vineyards in the Clare Valley, infusing the warm vintage of 2013 with a tightly defined acid profile. This is tactically softened by a subtle touch of sugar that doesn’t leave an impression of sweetness (just 2.5g/L, “extra dry” in champagne talk). It’s pretty and […]
readThree outstanding vintages in a row and Mort’s Block has cemented its position among the Clare’s best value set. The latest is a pure, focused and well-executed style that controls the phenolic structure of 2013 impeccably. It’s intense and persistent, with lovely vibrancy of talc, lemon pulp, lime zest and soft lemon pith texture, carried […]
readOne of the best rieslings from the Crabtree estate yet, a wine of concentrated fruit intensity and laser precision. A fragrant bouquet of lime blossom introduces a honed and even palate of pure kaffir lime and crunchy granny smith apple. $23 at Winecave.
readAt about 500m above sea level, on the highest slopes of Skillogalee’s sustainably farmed vineyard, this is a riesling of honed acid drive meeting intense fruit concentration. Lifted lemon blossom fragrance overlays lime zest and granny smith apple fruit, supported by a textural back palate of granny smith apple skin grip and phenolic structure, finishing […]
readMount Horrocks is a Clare riesling that appreciates bottle age more than most, and 2013 especially so. An axis or razor-sharp acidity intersects a bolt of phenolic grip, making this a tautly honed and firmly structured Mount Horrocks of drying mouth feel and textural firmness. It carries impressive restraint of lime zest character and notes […]
readThe most enduring off-dry rieslings are driven by levels of acidity that render them exceedingly long-lived, and the searing backbone of taut acid structure that defines Grosset’s 2013 is poised to outlive any dry riesling from this season. Structurally, it’s impeccable, this bolt of acidity rendering its residual sweetness nigh-on invisible, with fine-tuned phenolics lending […]
readA cool frozen lime focus portrays a cooler demeanour than usual for this dry season, capturing impeccably gauged fruit ripeness in intense aromas and flavours of granny smith apple, lemon blossom and kaffir lime spice. There’s plenty of texture and structure to back this up, with a finely mineral Watervale mouth feel and a little […]
readA great season for one of Australia’s finest dessert rieslings, uniting unctuous intensity and honeyed sweetness with well-structured acidity. It’s as alluringly complex as ever, a gorgeous amalgam of lemon and lime, peach, baked apple, honey and mixed spice. Brimming with persistence and appeal, this is a vintage that will live long. $35 at Cracka.
readSome have proclaimed 2013 among the finest Clare vintages of all. Time will tell, but my money is on cooler seasons like 2012 and 2002. The warm, dry 2013 has produced greater back palate presence and more phenolic structure, raising questions over how this vintage will appear after a decade in the cellar. Grosset has […]
readThe big question that divides the great rieslings from the also-rans of the Clare and Eden Valleys in 2013 is that of the skill of their makers in handling this warm and dry season, expressed most evidently in phenolic structure. The outcome is a greater disparity of house style and quality than the even 2012 […]
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