racy riesling

Nine mouthwatering examples to drink now or stick in your cellar.

2022 DR. EDGE TASMANIA

1 RIESLING

Tasmania

When you feel like no-one needs you and you feel like all the joy is gone; When a bitter dream cracks through your grinning mask;

Look beyond the shattered pieces; Look around where you stand, and clear the wreckage that’s at hand.

Tell us about your style of riesling.

I used to make pure stainless steel examples from Clare Valley, Pfalz, Mosel and

Tasmania while learning the craft. Now I’ve settled on more textural, oak fermented, lees matured styles with just a touch of fruit and skin contact. I try to fill the palate so they’re not too sharp or reflux-inducing.

What do you love about making riesling?

No matter how you make it, the smell and taste is always unmistakably riesling and clearly displays its place of origin. $40, dr-edge.com @pjdredge

2022 KNAPPSTEIN CLARE VALLEY

2 RIESLING

Clare Valley, SA

This riesling has both elegance and intensity, with true Knappstein traits of lime, spice and white florals on the nose and a generously flavoured palate. Lively acidity, mineral texture and a powerful and persistent lemon finish.

Tell us about your style of riesling.

The fruit was sourced from 10–35+ yearold vines across our Clare Valley riesling vineyards. Harvested in March, the long steady ripening conditions were perfect for developing this dry style, combined with fruit flavours and natural acidity.

What do you love about making riesling?

Riesling is such a versatile and expressive variety, able to capture the true sense of place and characters from our vineyards in the bottle. We aim to promote the purity of the fruit at every stage of winemaking. $22, knappstein.com.au @knappsteinclare

2022 KOERNER WINE GULLYVIEW

3 RIESLING

Watervale (Clare Valley), SA

A complex and interesting riesling. Limestone minerality on the nose follows through to a plush, powdery texture on the palate. Ginger spice, lemon and lime are the primary flavours.

Tell us about your style of riesling.

This wine is bone dry and undergoes full malolactic fermentation in ceramic and steel. It expresses pure Watervale lemon and lime characters, with palate weight and a chalky texture to balance the acidity.

What do you love about making riesling?

As riesling is particularly pure, there is nothing to hide behind. Everything must be spot-on to maintain the purity of the variety. It is the hardest variety to nail, but that is why we love making it. $50, koernerwine.com.au @koernerwine

2022 MOUNTADAM EDEN VALLEY

4 RIESLING

Eden Valley, SA

Crafted from riesling vines planted in 1968, on Mountadam’s western vineyard, this wine expresses lifted floral aromas. It has clean, crisp citrus flavours and delicate minerality.

Tell us about your style of riesling?

Our style of riesling is truly our High Eden vineyard in a bottle – vibrant fresh lime and citrus with delicate jasmine, a beautiful tight line of acidity and invigorating minerality.

How should this wine be best enjoyed?

I prefer younger rieslings, served icy cold on their own or with an array of foods such as spicy Thai dishes, fresh seafood (Coffin Bay oysters and Moreton Bay bugs) or decadent, rich dishes such as pork belly. $28, mountadam.com.au @mountadam

2022 SONS OF EDEN FREYA EDEN

5 VALLEY RIESLING

Eden Valley, SA

Bright citrus-blossom, white currant and elderflower aromas dominate the bouquet. A lively and flavoursome wine with mid-palate flesh, finishing with zest and crunchy acidity. A delicious wine which is immediately enjoyable yet will mature gracefully.

Tell us about your style of riesling?

We have been making this wine since

2005 with intent to display the hallmark characters of the region – notably lemon and lime zest with a flickering of minerality on the palate. Freya is a blend of three diverse vineyards, which each contribute to the overall blend.

What do you love about making riesling?

Of all grape varieties, riesling best illustrates the quality and attributes of the vintage year, which is why we love making it. $28, sonsofeden.com @sonsofeden

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6 GSARUOVWIGNNROENSERVE RIESLING

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How is this wine best enjoyed?

What do you love about making riesling?

With a full flavoured main course – lamb Wcuetlleiktsewtoitmh Cakheimriiecshliunrgriwdiitphppinugritsya,uce or icnhtiecnkspietyaafrnidesewleigthancciteruthsaatiocalin–baenednijno1ye5d wtoh2e0nyyeoaursn'gtiomrelo. Poaktfireenschewisitahvaigrteu.eR.iesling needs to be intriguing and have complexity that reflects the region it is grown in. $4280, gflaolwasftroeynwewiniense.sc.ocmom.au @fgloawlasftroenyew_iwneinses

2022 MEADOWBANK RIESLING

7

Derwent Valley, TAS

Take the zing of lemon and crunch of green apple, and then add a little texture from use of both old French barriques alongside stainless steel ferments. Voila.

Tell us about your style of riesling?

We tend to land at off-dry, with a kiss of residual sugar to take the edge off – Tasmania doesn’t suffer for acid! A balance of ferments in both stainless steel and old French barriques gives both clean, aromatic characters and texture.

What do you love about making riesling?

Drinking it over the next few decades.

How should this wine be best enjoyed?

On the beach, with your best friends and a bag of oysters. $39, meadowbank.com.au @meadowbank_tasmania

2022 ROBERT STEIN

8 RESERVE RIESLING

Mudgee, NSW

This vibrant wine is full of power and vineyard expression - fresh lime juice and wet stone with a rich midpalate, bone dry with a crisp and racy finish.

Tell us about your style of riesling?

This wine is full of texture and complexity. A cold and slow ferment with extended lees contact has created a powerful riesling with ageing potential.

What do you love about making riesling?

We love riesling because it is a versatile and expressive grape which we use to create a whole range of award-winning wines. Riesling is a variety that showcases the quality of our vineyard site and winemaking skills stronger than any other variety. $60, robertstein.com.au @robertsteinwinery

2020 PRESSING MATTERS

9 R9 RIESLING (OFF DRY)

Coal River Valley, TAS

Aromas of sherbet and makrut lime zest are precise, with subtle notes of poached pear and honey. The palate is delicately generous, perfectly balanced by clean, fine acidity, and pleasingly persistent.

Tell us about your style of riesling?

Our rieslings are inspired by the Mosel styles but designed to reflect the outstanding characteristics that only Tasmanian rieslings are capable of producing.

How should this wine be best enjoyed?

While the R9 Riesling is enjoyable on its own, it truly shines when paired with Asian-style dishes, such as laksa and moderately spiced curries. Its notable acidity cuts through fatty proteins like pork belly and duck. $43, pressingmatters.com.au @pressingmatterswines