Drop Of The Week
Riesling Is Back!
Riesling is back baby! For too long and perhaps even still for some consumers, Riesling carries a bad name with a perception that it is a cheap and sweet. Perhaps it’s time to break down some of these perceptions…
I’m proud to say I am an massive Riesling fan! There’s so much to the variety, and to be honest, I think it is one of the best value styles of wine available on the shelves. Rieslings can be made bone dry (see this week’s pick below) all the way through to off-dry styles (Best’s Great Western is a top example). Riesling can be an aperitif, or match food beautifully. Not only that, it can be aged for years which will change its structure, appearance and of course taste. Or, you can just indulge and drink it fresh with a bucket load of seafood!
Winemakers are now producing Rieslings with fruit and acid perfectly balanced. In cricketing terms, I think of Riesling as your classic Mark Waugh type. Cool under pressure with always something simmering away to add value, yet there is a cheeky side which is revealed when you least expect it. But when all is lost, there it is to be relied upon to do the job.
Australia produces some of the world’s great Rieslings and these come predominantly from South Australia’s Clare and Eden Valleys. Yet there are numerous other regions dishing up very classy wines including Victoria, southern Western Australia and Tasmania. Tasmania is on the move, so watch this space. Why is it a great place for Riesling? Stargazer’s Samantha Connew simply says, “Its fruit intensity and zesty natural acid.”
For the consumer, one of the best things Riesling delivers is price point. A significant number of these excellent wines can be found for less than $20 – an absolute bargain!
So go on, don’t be shy. Dip your toe in the wondrous waters of Riesling this spring and summer!
Jacob’s Creek Riesling 2013 $9 - A classic representation of Riesling which ticks all the varietal boxes. Simple easy drinking pleasure. Generous lemon and lime citrus flavours add to a refreshing and flavoursome wine. There is also a lemony sherbet character which adds further appeal. A ridiculous bargain for the quality you get. Priced around nine dollars I recently saw it advertised for just below $7!!! Readily available.
Leo Buring Clare Valley Dry Riesling 2014 $19 - An excellent example that defies the theory some hold that all Rieslings are sweet. Nothing affirms this more than the three bold letters emblazoned across the front of the bottle, DRY. A fresh squeeze of lemon and a pretty scent of little white flowers are followed by river stone and citrus goodness. Crisp and cleansing with a chalky finish, this is banging for twenty bucks. Readily available and recently advertised for around $15!
O’Leary Walker Polish Hill 2013 $19 - You know those times as a child you'd get something special and run to a secluded spot to hide so you don't have to share it? Yeah, that's how I felt with this wine. White flowers delivering a fresh fragrance, a squeeze of lime and lime pith. The texture delivered is spot on as is the acid balance. Characteristics of some river stone and a steeliness do bob up as with previous vintages but aren't dominant. A mouthful of deliciousness which is great now and will cellar well for at least a decade. Find it at good independents and some chain stores.
Stargazer Riesling 2013 $30 - Dangerously fresh, the wine leaps from the glass. Aromas are bright with lime juice, finger lime pulp and white flowers stealing centre stage. The wild yeast fermentation has done its bit and the sexy texture is what lured me in. It's stone fruit like and just hangs on. Simply divine! There is a squeeze of lime juice on the finish with a zingy citrusy thing going on just to give you something else to think about. Grab it at Craft Wine Store.
by Steve from Qwine
