Tag Archives: Riesling

clos Clare Riesling 2002

Posted on by
1

Interesting going back to a wine two years or so later on in its evolution; I last drank this in November 2007, and here we are again. This time around, the nose offers up a very spare emptiness, almost the idea of wine without characteristics. It’s an oddly Zen effect: a wine that is so quiet that concentrating on it leaves me very quiet indeed. There are notes of refrigerated butter, dried leaves, and wax paper on the nose; in the mouth, it’s surprisingly rich and full-bodied, with the expected shocking acidity having very much subsided over the last eight years or so in the bottle. On the finish, you get a 3D suggestion of Meyer lemon tart, all lemon rind and fresh pastry, before it slowly fades out.Again, absolutely lovely stuff here, and it doesn’t seem to have changed much over the last two years… and that’s a good thing because I think I still have a few more bottles. If all of the Australian rieslings I bought six years ago last this long under Stelvin, I’ll be very happy indeed as there’s no way I can drink most of them before they’re a quarter-century old.clos Clare
Price: US $14
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail

Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2007

Posted on by
3

Tension is an underexplored dimension of wine that, in some respects, goes against the grain of conventional aesthetics. Balance, harmony and elegance are all buzzwords of significant currency, dictating a serene, classical conception of beauty that, I’ll admit, often holds a lot of appeal for me.

I also like Italian horror films from the 1970s. And Sandra Bernhard’s lips. And Michel Houellebecq’s politics. All angular, difficult things that, on some level, fill me with a sense of beauty. Lately, I find myself wondering on a regular basis whether a wine that is less than composed in its structure and flow can be equally, perhaps even more, beautiful than one which is perfectly built. I know the answer is “of course it can;” articulating why is more challenging.

In some respects, this wine is all over the place. Its flavour profile leaps from sulfur to rich, aromatic fruit to crystalline minerality. Its mouthfeel lurches from spritz to unctuousness to chiselled dryness. Yet, somehow, it all comes together in the most exciting, delicious way. The aroma shows slightly blunt sulfur, the dull ache of carbonated mineral water, tart marmalade and, strangely, the smell of white pepper. It’s a question mark of a nose, darting this way and that. It’s also subtly alluring, redolent of the smell of spice markets that I suspect have only ever existed in the pages of books.

The palate is a rollercoaster ride. Spritz registers on entry, cutting through what becomes a rich expression of Riesling fruit on the middle palate. Mango skins and lime juice, mostly. It’s delicious, if sweet, and begins to cloy just as a swell of minerality rises to temper any excess of residual sugar. I have been sipping this wine all evening, and have not remotely tired of the contrasting interplay between sweet fruit and dry flintiness. It’s one of the hardest things to get right with off-dry Riesling styles, and this wine makes it seem just effortful enough to help one appreciate the achievement. A lovely, long finish.

I see this wine as a contest of sorts, between elements that clash and come together not to cancel each other out, but to give rise through conflict to something quite lovely. It’s fabulous.

Willi Schaefer
Price: $A42
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail

Ökonomierat Rebholz Riesling Vom Buntsandstein Spätlese 2007

Posted on by
Reply

I was a bit underwhelmed by this wine initially; it’s quite rich and I found it a little cloying. But extended tasting reveals a complex, delicate flavour profile. There’s a lot to enjoy here. Besides which, the label looks totally home made, which is fun in a low-tech way.

On the nose, slightly sulfurous with powerful fruit aromas and some floral delicacy. It has gained better balance with some air, so do let it breathe a bit or give it a good swirl, even if (like me) you’re feeling thirsty. Your reward will be good complexity and increased coherence. 
In the mouth, some air has again worked to its advantage, lightening the wine’s feel and allowing a wide range of flavours to express themselves. Entry is quite full and immediate, with fragrant mandarin and preserved citrus peel the dominant flavours. Sweetness peaks on the middle palate, before maximum complexity asserts itself through the quite wonderful after palate, with bitter orange flavours sitting alongside sweet, small stonefruit and a streak of savoury minerality.  A gentle, sweet finish of impressive length. There’s no doubt this is a richly flavoured wine, full of expressive, sweet fruit and, arguably, acidity that is too restrained. I’d still prefer a more nimble middle palate and slightly cleaner finish, but I can appreciate this wine’s silky, sophisticated mouthfeel — with just a hint of soft spritz — and overall generosity.
Not my ideal style, but a quality wine nonetheless.

Ökonomierat Rebholz
Price: $A70
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail

Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Kabinett Riesling 2007

Posted on by
Reply

There’s something uniquely intimidating about German wine labels. 

Then again, this wine requires very little translation – it speaks quite clearly all on its own. This has to be one of the most drinkable — indeed sloshable — wines I’ve had this year. Half the bottle is gone and I’ve only just started to write this note. Thank goodness it’s only 8% abv.
The nose is complex and slightly prickly, with a fruit character akin to very delicate marmalade. There’s a minerality that, as odd as this might seem, comes across as fluffy, perhaps even sparkly. It’s expressive in a confident but measured way, like someone who knows just how much to project their voice at a social gathering. Very sniffable, and it’s evolving slowly as it sits in the glass.
Not that it gets much of an opportunity to sit there; it’s so very inviting. The entry is relatively full and fruit-driven, suggesting a level of sweetness that threatens, for a moment, to overwhelm. But almost immediately, the wine finds its balance, ultra-fine acidity rising to temper the residual sugar, minerality a natural foil to flavours of fine lime marmalade. Indeed, the way this wine seems to exude delicacy while retaining fullness of weight and flavour is tantalising. The after palate especially possess a lightness of movement through to the finish that is both fascinating and pleasurable, encouraging the next sip.
This can probably take a bit of age, but I’m going to drink mine young. Delicious.

Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken
Price: $A40
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail

Flaxman Riesling 2009

Posted on by
Reply

The small Flaxman estate vineyard is located in the Barossa ranges, in the same area as various renowned vineyards like Heggies, Karra Yerta and Pewsey Vale. In amongst mature Semillon and Shiraz are the forty five year old Riesling vines from which this wine is made. You’d expect, with this pedigree, definitive Eden Riesling. And so it is.

Intense mineral, gravel notes establish the aroma profile, which goes on to express floral and lime rind characters as well. There’s a clear articulation of top, middle and base notes here, each working in concert with, eventually blurring the lines between, each other. Its character, while complex and clear, is also soft, preferring to communicate in soothing tones. I associate a certain coherence with superior wines; they express singularly as opposed to as a collection of discrete smells. This wine possesses such coherence, and is quite thrilling in its clarity. 
The palate shows great balance between fine, fresh acidity and fruit weight. Indeed, the citrus notes are surprisingly generous compared to a nose heavier on the minerality. On entry, flavour skates briskly over the tongue, supported by beautiful acidity and a mouthfeel that seems ultra-refined, indeed almost slippery. The middle palate is all about ripe, fresh limes, cleanly expressed. There are also some flowers and slate that travel along the edges, and which grab centre stage through the after palate. A high toned, pithy finish goes on for quite a while. 
It’s just so effortlessly stylish, this wine, like a natural beauty who looks great in just about anything. I don’t mind saying I’ll be putting in my order for a few bottles.

Flaxman Wines
Price: $A25
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Kirrihill Slate Creek Vineyard Riesling 2009

Posted on by
Reply

A single vineyard wine from the Watervale sub-region of the Clare Valley. And a really true example of this style of Riesling too, very much in a drink now idiom but recognisably regional all the same. 

The nose shows swirly, shabby chic aromas of old lace, freshly squeezed lemon juice and ripe white flowers. There’s also a hint of talcum powder verging on minerality, which adds a nice lilt to the aroma profile. Taken as a whole, the nose is both relatively complex and totally accessible, signalling a wine made for easy, but not braindead, enjoyment.
On entry, acid is restrained in volume yet robust in texture, overlaid with lemon juice notes that are less intrusively sour than some. This combination carries linearly through to a mid-palate that widens only marginally, holding its tight, clear line. Intensity of fruit is moderate, which suits the style, and it’s here that a range of flavour complexities emerge. Pebbles and crusher dust sit in the minerality camp, while the fruit turns towards a lemon rind-like astringency. Texture is even and a little gravelly through the after palate, and the finish is long, tapering elegantly away to nothing.
A solid wine, then, with plenty of character and made in a style that’s very approachable right now. Not a bad Friday night choice.

Kirrihill
Price: $A19.95
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Shaw Laughter Series Riesling 2009

Posted on by
Reply

One of the great things about Riesling is the high quality frequently obtainable at lower price points. Unlike with, say, Pinot Noir, a $15 RRP doesn’t automatically equal diminished expectations. Indeed, I’ve had some cracking Rieslings over the years that have come in well under the $15 mark. All of which is to suggest my approach to this wine is not at all one of patient generosity or pre-emptive forgiveness.

Happily, this is a really good, quite delicious Canberra Riesling. The regional emphasis on flowers, talc and stone is there in abundance, coupled to rich preserved lemon fruit notes, edging very slightly towards pineapple. Aromas are a little blocky, but they present coherently and there’s a vivaciousness to the aroma profile that is most pleasing.
The palate is equally fun, with a well balanced presence in the mouth. The entry is slow to take off, but builds to a middle palate of mineral and citrus fruit notes in equal measure. The fruit character is straightforward, with perhaps a hint of mandarin, and has surprising persistence. It’s a bit simple, but so are many enjoyable things. The after palate is fruit driven, though with a drying undercurrent, and the length here is remarkable given the modest price tag and stylistic aspirations of the wine – it seems to go on and on.
A wine that hits the drinkability bullseye rather than aiming for ultimate refinement or complexity.  I like it a lot. Should be noted also the winery gives $50 of each case purchase to Camp Quality.  

Shaw Vineyard Estate
Price: $A15
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Shaw Isabella Riesling 2009

Posted on by
2

Australia is world-renowned for its amazing, razor-sharp dry Riesling styles. So of course there’s currently a resurgence in off-dry Riesling. I jest – I think it’s great that producers are experimenting with styles, and it will be interesting to see if some regions and sites are better expressed with some residual sugar. 

To this wine then, a Canberra Riesling from Shaw Vineyard Estate and, according to the label, both Reserve and Handpicked. I’m feeling a warm glow already (or is that just the Verdelho from before?). I must admit I failed to read the back label before tasting, so was surprised at the rich, confected fruit aromas that emerged from the glass. A quick sip confirmed this as a decidedly off-dry style. The aroma profile comprises fake banana flavouring, candied pineapple and a range of other lively notes. It’s quite expressive and fun, though whether you will warm to its lolly store bent is a question of personal preference. It may also be showing its youth, and indeed some time in glass has seen the more aggressively confected aspects of the aroma blow off, to reveal fresher fruit versions of  pineapple and citrus notes, and some more floral, perhaps even mineral, dimensions too.
The palate is richly flavoured, with more candied fruits and a refreshing acid line. In an off-dry Riesling, the balance of acid, sugar and fruit intensity seems to be of the essence; here, there’s perhaps slightly too much sugar relative to the character and assertiveness of the acid, which translates to a broadness on the mid-palate. On entry, though, a lively and very fruit-driven experience, with sweetly preserved fruits and bubbly acidity moving things through to the mid-palate. Here, the palate widens and becomes really quite generous, almost relaxed, teetering on the edge of simplicity. A twist of phenolic bitterness on the after palate pulls things back into line, and balances the riper tendencies of the flavour profile, bringing a welcome freshness to the wine. Pretty decent, fresh finish.
A worthy attempt at a more “German” Riesling style, and one that has improved after several hours. From a regional perspective, I enjoy the delicate floral, talc-like flavour profile of many dry Canberra Rieslings, and it’s an open question for me (for now) whether this character adapts itself well to a moderately off-dry style. It’s certainly there in this wine, but its very delicacy sits uneasily against sweet fruit notes. I should add this wine responded exceptionally well to a robust pasta dish, its more candied fruit tendencies tamed and its structure more than adequate. 

Shaw Vineyard Estate
Price: $A28
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Sample

Schafer-Frohlich Bockenauer Felseneck Dry Riesling 2007

Posted on by
Reply

I bought a selection of 2007 German Rieslings the other day from Eurocentric and will taste my way through them over the coming weeks. This is the first, and hopefully a sign of things to come.

Lovely nose; what strikes one first is the richness of fruit, sort of tropical and apricot-like in equal measure, and sufficiently assertive that it initially masks the floral, mineral aspects of the aroma profile. Some more sniffing reveals the full extent of this wine’s complexity, which is quite impressive and very well balanced. Once it has time to settle in the glass, it’s simply a wall of quite luscious, detailed aromatics; something to sniff repeatedly for sure.
The palate is equally rich, without being especially intense. Again, the vibe here is balanced, a number of elements combining with good harmony. The entry is sharp and glossy, like a well-honed Wusthof knife, acid cutting a clear path to the middle palate. While the fruit is quite generous in flavour profile, with just a hint of apparent residual sweetness, it’s curiously restrained and allows space for a range of flavours of a more pebbly nature to share the stage. The acid is lovely; prominent and shapely, a bit grainy even, without feeling coarse or out of control. Honeysuckle and mineral flavours flow through the after palate, whisked along briskly by an acid structure that here, more than at any other point, contributes sourness to the flavour profile. Talc-like aromatics on the finish with a squeeze of grapefruit for good measure.
Delicious wine on its own, and an admirable partner to awesome fish and chips from a renowned corner store down the road. I feel rather spoiled on this Friday evening. Totally worth the dosh.

Schafer-Frohlich
Price: $A60
Closure: Cork
Source: Retail

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2009

Posted on by
Reply

Sometimes I have trouble getting into this wine but no such problems tonight. It’s a cracker.

Intense, racy bath salt-like aromas overlay a good deal of floral, mineral notes and some fine citrus rind. It’s incredibly complex for a young Riesling which, like other simply made white styles, can seem simple in youth. Not this one, though; it exudes sophistication and confidence, not through volume or excess, but simply by being classically well-built from tip to toe. I’m sniffing this wine again and again and there’s more to extract each time.
The palate is, if anything, even more impressive, as it adds great thrust and length to the nose’s proportioned, complex aroma profile. It’s a curious thing — intensity that sings with minerality rather than fruit flavour — I love it. The entry is immediate thanks mostly to some pretty assertive acidity, and it all builds from here to a middle palate of great shape and flinty texture. There’s an edge of sweetness that softens the relatively austere flavour profile, and this smidge of soft focus makes this Polish Hill more approachable than some others I have tried. Swift movement through the after palate to a reverberant finish of snazzy length. 
Many critics tend to rate the Polish Hill above the Watervale, and in this instance I’d have to agree. What a great Riesling.

Grosset
Price: $A39
Closure: Stelvin
Source: Retail