Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2002

First off, there’s petrol here in spades: yes, this wine is six years old and counting. After waiting a few minutes, the wine warmed up enough to give off a hint of lime rind, field honey, wet stone, mineral, and something almost like peaches. There’s a real austerity here: this is not German (or even Washington) Riesling – it’s stony faced and unforgiving.In the mouth, this is a surprisingly full bodied Riesling – it’s rich, not fat, but definitely a surprise after the nose. The acidity is generous, and the length is as well; the finish is long, smooth, and delicious, with lime rind and honey notes counterbalanced by a sense of rain on warm stones (really, I know this isn’t a Moselle, but I couldn’t help myself). As it warms up, it’s beginning to veer over towards grapefruit; at any rate, this is an incredible value and an exceptional bottle of wine. In fact, there’s a savory note on the finish as well – I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s almost like venison somehow – almost gamy, rich and strange, with orange blossoms hovering around the edges. There aren’t many wines like this one: if you’ve never had a Grosset riesling, they’re well worth hunting down.GrossetPrice: US $25 [my best guess]Closure: StelvinDate tasted: March 2008

1 thought on “Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2002

  1. Wow, that sounds superb. I remember trying this with you on release, and it was oh-so tight, leeching hints of concentrated flavour but never relaxing much. It really sounds like it is hitting its stride.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *