The Auswine Forum

I have just stumbled across a Shiraz Riesling blend whilst aimlessly surfing the net. I am struggling to think how that might work as a blend - has anyone tried one?

tried a sauvignon blanc riesling blend a few weeks ago. worked very well

I haven't tried it but Peter Lehmann used to experiment with that blend. Lehmann makes a Shiraz Muscadelle these days.

cheers

Carl

I would think it'll be similar to shiraz/viognier style of wine... possibly we're talking about the non dry try type or riesling in the mix to lift the wine up....

Red Edge in Heathcote used to make one. Hideous muck.

Wow I can't imagine that being at all good. Actually I'm finding it hard to think of a grape that would go worse with shiraz. Maybe shiraz/sav blanc? I would definitely prefer shiraz/chardonnay and shiraz/semillon...

Campbell posted a review today on The Wine Front of Dandelion shiraz riesling 07 from McLaren Vale.

daz

It's the phenolics in the white grapes (well their skins more specifically), that are sought - Viognier has these in spades when very ripe and this aids in colour extraction and a few other bits and pieces with Shiraz. The same goes with Riesling, and I know of a Margaret River winery that added some to their quite pricey Cab Sauv in a poorer year for colour and nose.

As most of these additions are well less than the 15% mark, most are never highlighted for obvious reasons. Why you'd want to promote a "SR" is a mystery ... to each their own.

Cheers

Mark G

Intriguing. I've tried a few shiraz riesling blends before but haven't really been impressed. I put it down to winemaker's "experimenting" rather than spending time (over many years) perfecting the blend. This would explain why we don't see many (any?) on the market.

As has already been mentioned, it is the phenolics that is sought in such a blend from the white grape. There is no reason this blend can't work well - but as with any blend - I'm sure it would take considerable time to perfect.

I publicly dare any winemaker out there reading to prove that it can be done well! I'll be first in line to taste.

I don't believe it's uncommon for Chardonnay skins, and probably other grapes skins as well, to be put back in to a shiraz ferment. I don't know what it might add, or what it's effects might be, but I do know that it happens. Hell, winemakers know more than me about making wine...

I'd also hazard a guess, and say that there are more than a small number of red wines out there with portions of unusual or unexpected white grapes as part of their makeup, and just not mentioned anywhere on the bottle.

Wouldn't it typically be done to enhance aromatics ? How would/could it possibly affect texture ?
We might be able to generalise, and say that the addition of white grape skins to a red ferment adds "complexity", but it'd be interesting to know a little more detail..

All correct and good questions Cuttlefish!

How the blending of white wine affects the texture of the blend depends heavily on: the grapes, the fermentation and the barrels (from my understanding). I don't understand in full the chemistry behind all the blends, but with Shiraz Viognier I understand that the texture (mouthfeel) increases or decreases depending partly on how well ripened the white grapes are... I thought that was pretty cool.

No matter how much you read - there's always something else... SIGH!