The Auswine Forum

Our illustrious leader, Gavin has suggested we do a Riesling thread for September on the Auswine Forum. Top idea! I've compacted my Riesling notes of the last few days underneath to kick things off. Hope you can open a bottle or three and give us an insight as to what you thought?

Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling 2009

12.5% A/V. Screwcap closure. Very bright straw white with attractive florals of orange blossom, musk and honeysuckle over lime and chalk. The palate is beautifully constructed holding an immaculate tight line, wonderful focus, sensational delineation followed by a lengthy finish riddled with explosive citrus fruit and ripe, crunchy acidity. One of the better young Petaluma's with a 10-15 year drinking window. 93 points.

Crabtree Watervale Riesling 2001

12% A/V. Cork sealed. I've cellared this Clare Valley (South Australia) wine for many years now and tonight's showing revealed this is in a very good place at the moment. The colour suggestive of maturity with the glowing light gold hue particularly pleasing to the eye. The bouquet retains a degree of youthfulness with lovely lime and pear aromas complexed by delicious bottle-aged toast and honey characters. Lithe and svelte in the mouth with some honeyed character to support the abundant orchard fruit (lime/apple/pear and orange), the wine finishes clean and crisp with fine acidity and a lengthy departure. After some 8 hours of breathing and sitting in the glass the wine only just now starts to crack up marginally - not a bad effort from a "so-so" vintage and a relatively unknown producer. I'd give it a couple more years but there's no need to wait any longer. Solid effort from Robert Crabtree here - 88 points.

Kuentz-Bas Alsace Grand Cru Pfersigberg Riesling 1996

12% A/V. Cork closure. Glowing yellow gold. Fascinating mature almost "malty" aromatic nose of honeyed ripe yellow peach, an almost gewurtz-like lychee/rose petal characters underpinned by deepset minerals and limestone with a little petroloeum and smoke as a tope note. Delivers a somewhat spiky sweet tropical fruit character (pineapple!) at first on the forepalate with rather disjointed acidity cutting in thereafter. Just drinkable and rated as fair on the palate. Frustratingly enigmatic and difficult to assess but will settle at 78 points as a score.

Pike's 2009 Clare Valley Riesling 2009

Selaed with a screwcap, this wine came in at a modest 12% A/V, displayed a bright light straw colour and delivered very attractive floral, citrus, lanolin and honeysuckle aromas with a minerally egde providing counterbalance. The palate shows bucketloads of citrus, waxy apple, honeysuckle and herb-tinged fruit, although I thought it quite forward with a fleshy, mouthfilling texture with the acidity somewhat sedate just at the moment behind all this ripe fruit. The finish is quite long with a nice twist of acid cut. Certainly very good/almost excellent but the longer this sat in the glass, somehow I just couldn't get that excited. 88 points and not a long term proposition, methinks.

Thanks David

I'd have to agree wholeheartedly in the Petaluma 2009. This is the best Petaluma since 2000 in my opinion, and I'm glad I have a few.

To add to the mix, I'd include a range of 2009s

Skillogallee : especially young. BTW, I have a few bottles of 2004 on their way here (as part of a mixed dozen, the remainder is 2010), to test the 'young' theory out.
Kilikanoon Morts Block
Mount Horrocks (one of the best in Clare)
Forest Hill
Ashbrook (a surprise, as it is a Margaret River wine, but absolute purity of fruit)

I could go on, and will if this thread gains traction.

Cheers

Allan

I had a Seppelt Drumborg 2005 last night - still tight with powdery chalk & acid, good underlying fruit. Tasted blind I would have guessed 1-2 years of age. It's my last one - as shame really as I'd like to see it about 5 more years of age.

Karra Yerta Wines Riesling 2010, Eden Valley
Very pale green lemon colour, sweet lemon-lime aromas, akin to sweet German rieslings, with a splash of wet granite powder. Lovely plush fruity body, a burst of lemon citrus pips and granite chips flavours with a trailing minerality to finish. Crisp acidity but this wine is still coming together structure-wise.

Last night had

Crabtree Watervale Riesling 2009 - big multiple trophy winner

Now being made by Kerry Thompson, she of Classic Clare Riesling fame, and the wonderful KT and the Falcon Rieslings, and doesn't it show, real class wine making here!

This wine is still travelling wonderfully well, still vibrant and in the first flush of youth, no real development yet, but it will come! classic Watervale florals on the nose with a punchy, layered citrus and lime palate, touch of green pea, and kaffir lime hints, spices, and then and finishing long, crisp and dry with a real minerally edge. An excellent example of Watervale Riesling from a strong quality vintage. I can vouch for this wine now, but it will cellar remarkably well! Lovely stuff!
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Derwent Estate 2009 riesling - base of apple/citron with a nice effervescence and an aged golden apple taste on back of palate. The 2008 was a lot more clinical and simple, the 2009 is intriguing and complex. Very, very tasty.

Rudy wrote:I had a Seppelt Drumborg 2005 last night - still tight with powdery chalk & acid, good underlying fruit. Tasted blind I would have guessed 1-2 years of age. It's my last one - as shame really as I'd like to see it about 5 more years of age.

I haven't touched my stash yet bar a sampler some time back. The 1999 vintage of this label is still going strong; the 2003, tried last Christmas, still very youthful. A great line with terrific stamina!

via collins wrote:Derwent Estate 2009 riesling - base of apple/citron with a nice effervescence and an aged golden apple taste on back of palate. The 2008 was a lot more clinical and simple, the 2009 is intriguing and complex. Very, very tasty.

Being "Derwent" Estate, are we talking Tasmania?

After reading about this winemaker over the past year, I finally managed to try a Van Volxem, this one being the Rotschiefer Riesling Kabinett 2008 . I had read that wines from this house are funky in style and it definitely lived up to its reputation in a most enjoyable manner. Notwithstanding the young age, the wine has already started to take on a mellow yellow hue. Noticeably more so than the Australian riesling it was up against the night I tried it. Dry in style, there was definitely a bit of funk going in the middle that made it extremely moreish. With lemon fruit, there was more than just a hint of honeysuckle at the finish. The more I tried, the more I liked it. Now if I could just organise a case

Being "Derwent" Estate, are we talking Tasmania?

We are indeed David. Distribution isn't wide, I've been drinking it for some years now as a regular on a Sth Yarra restaurant wine-list.

When time permits, I'm going to grab a 6 of the 09 for cellar.

cheers.

Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Alsace Riesling 1989

Undoubtably one of the great Riesling's of the world and from vintages as good as 1989 amd 1990, one of the great wine's of the world.

12.5% A/V and sealed with a long, very good quality cork.

CFE rates alongside the far more expensive and small volume cult wine Clos St. Hune as Trimbach's top Riesling labels. The bulk of material that goes to make CFE comes from old vines off two grand cru vineyards, Osterberg and Geisberg. The wine is made in three formats - the regular (dry), VT (vendange tardive = late harvest) and SDGN (selection des grains nobles = selection of noble berries = suggesting botrytis affected or very late picked grapes). I've tried all three from vintages as far back as 1983 all the way through to 2001. Only very occasionally have I seen anything not up to scratch. The most significant and mind-blowing aspect of these fantastic wines are their almost brazen but haunting/alluring minerality, particularly in the bouquet but also found on the palate. The wine's are made in a rather austere style (for Alsace), remarkably with oodles of mainly citrus and stonefruit with incredible counterbalancing mineral-tinged acidity and not a skerrick of residual sugar to be found in the standard label. The later-picked wines often also reveal copious quantities of apricot, marmalade, spice and honeyed character but nearly always offer judiciously ripe minerally acids to counter this marvellously complex ripe fruit. And, as tested tonight, they last and last! With time they develop just a tad of the classic bottle-aged petroleum/toast and honeyed characters of great Riesling but, seemingly, always reveal a dominance of pure and ridiculously classy terroir-derived fruit and minerality that delivers amazing freshness, balance and finesse.

Tasting Note: A slightly burnished bright yellow gold. Magical bouquet of fresh waxy apples, kaffir leaf, lanolin, honesuckle, lime juice surrounded by haunting mineral scents. Paradoxically, the palate is a classic mix of the new and the old. In one sense, still remarkably fresh but with a vein of honeyed cream intertwined with a citrussy core of lime and honeysuckle. The acidity's mineral-rich and cuts through the richness like a hot knife through softened butter. Structually, the wine is tightly coiled with sensational focus. The finish awesomely long with a tweek of apricot (suggesting botrytis) and reminiscent of a fine G&T. Lovely stuff. Should last for another decade if well cared for. 94 points.

Great note as always, thanks David.

Cheers

Michael

Sevenhill Inigo Riesling 2009

Clare Valley, 12.5%, Screw Cap (of course)

I really enjoyed this with food at a degustation dinner in August and bought a case. Tonight I opened the first one to have with some home cooked fish and chips.

It is a very pale yellow/green. The nose is all floral and citrus and this is reflected on the palate. Great mouth feel and quite a long finish for such a young wine. It has a certain purity that indicates minimal wine-maker intervention, just pure Clare Valley riesling. I think it will improve over the next 5 years or more.

Annie's Lane riesling 09 is a juicy riesling with medium-term cellaring potential, very good value when found for <$10.

Taylors Clare Valley Riesling 2001

This bottle, purchased by the writer at release and well-cellared since, shows an alcohol level of 13% by volume on the label and is sealed with a screwcap. The wine holds an excellent mid straw/lemon colour, throws up unusual herb and green pineapple scents over musky lime and a little bottle-developed toasty character. I don't particular like these characters that appear all too often in Australian riesling, others may be more tolerable of their presence. The palate performs better with very clean herb, lime, apple and pear flavours housed within a well-constructed line through the mouth with spritely acidity adding spark to the relatively long and sustained departure with just a hint of toast and petrol lingering on the back end. If not for the indifferent bouquet, I might recommend this wine with some gusto. On tonight's form, 84 points - rated as good, verging on very good, but no better.

Karra Yerta 2005 riesling notably lime coloured in the glass, and this was backed up by a sharp lime presence at front of palate. Some lemon sherbert follows up, and at first glance, it's a really ascorbic Eden Valley riesling, the most acidic i've had in a while. But the real surprise is how well knitted the initial sharpness becomes with the body of the wine in the finish. There's a real sense of balance in the follow through that impresses greatly, and I look forward to seeing what develops over the second night. Enjoyable enough so far, but no tears of joy....

Crabtree Hilltop Riesling 2010

Intriguing nose, classic Clare Riesling, but with a twist. Limes are there, a lovely floral edge, bath salts, citrus, spice, orange zest, and a real minerality, more Eden Valley than usual Clare, but wonderful. The twist, a real hint of herb, lavender almost, adds a lifted edge to the nose, just beautifully fresh and vital, and mouthwatering.

The palate has a real 'pithy' character, one which was repeated in the Watervale Riesling from the same maker, really interesting, intriguing and the source of which I am unsure about, but I like it. Add in limes, citrus, grapefruit, spice and orange rind, its really long, its intense, its linear, and it has a crystal clear mineral finish that is delicious ... Will it cellar, you better believe it, but its just wonderful now.

These Crabtrees are really on a roll these days, courtesy in no small part of the wonderful Kerri Thomspon, and some mature and outstanding vineyards ... watch this space, in the mean time, get this Riesling!

No tasting note, but recently had the sister wine, the 2010 Watervale Riesling. Clearly a partner wine, but disarmingly different, bigger, more powerful, a touch broader, but equally delicious.

As Molly Meldrum used to say ... do yourself a favour!

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Tried a Pewsey Vale 2010 last night, nice length on the drying finish after the lemony palate.

Does anyone have any comments on the 2009 vs 2010 vintages in the Clare and Eden Valleys?

Leo Buring Leonay Eden Valley Riesling DWG17 2003

12% A/V and closed with a stelvin screw cap. Brilliant starbright appearance with a lime green/straw hue. Superb mineral-infused bouquet with crystalline lime juice, kaffir leaf with just a dusting of gunflint. The palate equally auspiscious with a rapier-like attack and line housing tightly coiled and explosive lime and mineral flavour that leads to a fascinating departure loaded with bucketloads of crunchy, juicy fruit and mouthwatering acidity. 93 points with a minimum 10 year evolution to peak and perhaps another decade of longevity in store for those with the patience and storage facilities to preserve the treasure trove inside the bottle.

Leo Buring Leonay Watervale Riesling DFW18 2002

After the outstanding 2003 Eden Valley Riesling from the same maker earlier this week, I thought I'd broach the more celebrated vintage - the 2002, but this time from the Clare Valley tonight.

Unfortunately, not a great deal to report just at the minute. This is reductive as blazes and although this awful predominance is found mostly in the bouquet, I will give the wine a chance to let this rubbery crap blow off and come back to it tomorrow.

Monday night .... thankfully, this has now lost the bulk of the sulphur problems (reduction). Lime green colour, piercing aromatics of lime, a striking minerality - you can almost smell the rocks this wine was born from followed by a distant herbal edge that comes in as a top note, along with the merest hint of rubber and sulphur to spoil the party. The palate still tight and unyielding albeit riddled with classy lime fruit and bucketloads of mouth-searing acidity preventing the fruit from making a full and proper statement. This wine could be something very special in time but is showing all too little just at the moment to provide much drinking pleasure. Not rated until I see how it goes over the next day or two.

dlo wrote:Leo Buring Leonay Watervale Riesling DFW18 2002

After the outstanding 2003 Eden Valley Riesling from the same maker earlier this week, I thought I'd broach the more celebrated vintage - the 2002, but this time from the Clare Valley tonight.

Unfortunately, not a great deal to report just at the minute. This is reductive as blazes and although this awful predominance is found mostly in the bouquet, I will give the wine a chance to let this rubbery crap blow off and come back to it tomorrow. Now, what else can I open on a Sunday night?

David

Have you tried the 2005 Leonay. I have some tucked away but can't bring myself to try it this early?

Mark

I tasted the 2010 Grosset riesling releases yesterday at Cremorne Cellars.

The Springvale is nice. Tasty as.
The Polish Hill much tighter, and good acid.
The new off-dry Riesling (16gL residual sugar) I thought was a bit quiet, but for under $30 probably worth putting a dozen away and drinking over the years
Picadilly Valley Chard.(200?) a mediumly worked style, but pretty well balanced.
Gaia 2007 very nice. I like this wine. Great medium weight to me. Nice style.

A nice pair at Golden Century in Chinatown last Friday. My first time there, not my last. Recommend.
Great wine list too.

2008 Riesling Jean-Luc Mader Alsace
2007 Salomon Undhof Riesling ‘Kremser Kogl’ (Wachau, Austria)

Both shared similar characteristics, which i enjoy. Dry with crisp acidity, and plenty of citrus fruit providing a decent finish and a lot of fun to drink.

Cheers
Michael

Glad to see this thread folks.

My 20c worth is the great pleasure I'm getting from trying a string of German Rieslings of late. Most have been off dry Kabinetts from the well regarded 2007 vintage.

I'm a late convert to such wines, but do recommend fellow wine lovers try some wines from the best regarded producers. Most of these wines are priced in the range $24 to low $30s. The attributes I am rapidly growing to love are the harmony of high fruit (residual sugar) and high acid, and the low alcohol levels. Increasingly Kerry and I are gravitating to taking such Rieslings out for our 'date dinners' (just the two of us) - ~5.5 standard drinks in the whole bottle, fantastic synergy between the high acid structure and many foods [but not so much red meats, but definitely anything spicy].

If you've tried none or few off dry German/Austrian Rieslings it's definitely worth a trial.

Regards,
John

rooman wrote:

dlo wrote:Leo Buring Leonay Watervale Riesling DFW18 2002

After the outstanding 2003 Eden Valley Riesling from the same maker earlier this week, I thought I'd broach the more celebrated vintage - the 2002, but this time from the Clare Valley tonight.

Unfortunately, not a great deal to report just at the minute. This is reductive as blazes and although this awful predominance is found mostly in the bouquet, I will give the wine a chance to let this rubbery crap blow off and come back to it tomorrow. Now, what else can I open on a Sunday night?

David

Have you tried the 2005 Leonay. I have some tucked away but can't bring myself to try it this early?

Mark

Won't be touching mine for another 5 years, Mark.

You have already asked me this over on WLDG,

and here was my answer .......

"I've got some but won't touch it until 2015, Mark".

TNs for my previous 2 Rieslings opened ( one just before Sept).

• 2005 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (9/6/2010)
  Heavily spritzed; grapey, fresh as a daisy, sprightly, lime; soft, easy, gentle grapiness; delicately floats across the palate. Drink soon, before the charm fades. Rather short finish. (87 pts.)
• 2004 Weingut Josef Leitz Rudesheimer Kirchenpfad Riesling Auslese - Germany, Rheingau (8/30/2010)
  Remains pale; pineapple (chunks), lychees, penetrating; medium- sweet, refreshing acidity, nicely weighted, has a stone fruit fleshiness; this has breed & balance. Potentially a long distance runner, but lovely right now. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Surprised to find that I've not opened any Aussie Riesling since May, in fact last 8 have all been German.

A 1994 German last night - Maximin Grunhauser MSR Abtsberg Auslese Fuder 45 - with scrumptuous dumplings at dinner with friends at a very classy Chinese restaurant. Beautiful wine, still an incredible limey green colour, magnificent aromatics of lime, peach and guava with some haunting slatey/petrolly top notes followed by an equally impressive palate showing amazing purity of similarly-etched ripe fruit and a clean, tight and crisp acid-laden finish. About 93 points and will last for at least another decade and a half if well-stored. Quite brilliant sweet Auslese.

dlo wrote:A 1994 German last night - Maximin Grunhauser MSR Abtsberg Auslese Fuder 45 - with scrumptuous dumplings at dinner with friends at a very classy Chinese restaurant. Beautiful wine, still an incredible limey green colour, magnificent aromatics of lime, peach and guava with some haunting slatey/petrolly top notes followed by an equally impressive palate showing amazing purity of similarly-etched ripe fruit and a clean, tight and crisp acid-laden finish. About 93 points and will last for at least another decade and a half if well-stored. Quite brilliant sweet Auslese.

That was a stonking wine, David. Could have sworn there was gewurtz in there.

dlo wrote:Leo Buring Leonay Watervale Riesling DFW18 2002

After the outstanding 2003 Eden Valley Riesling from the same maker earlier this week, I thought I'd broach the more celebrated vintage - the 2002, but this time from the Clare Valley tonight [Sunday].

Unfortunately, not a great deal to report just at the minute. This is reductive as blazes and although this awful predominance is found mostly in the bouquet, I will give the wine a chance to let this rubbery crap blow off and come back to it tomorrow.

Monday night .... thankfully, this has now lost the bulk of the sulphur problems (reduction). Lime green colour, piercing aromatics of lime, a striking minerality - you can almost smell the rocks this wine was born from followed by a distant herbal edge that comes in as a top note, along with the merest hint of rubber and sulphur to spoil the party. The palate still tight and unyielding albeit riddled with classy lime fruit and bucketloads of mouth-searing acidity preventing the fruit from making a full and proper statement. This wine could be something very special in time but is showing all too little just at the moment to provide much drinking pleasure. Not rated until I see how it goes over the next day or two.

Thursday afternoon .... Now open for 5 days, this wine has, remarkably, jost got better and better. Simply amazing to smell and taste today, with immaculate purity from start to finish. Tastes likes it's a year or two old. All reduction now dissipated. Scored at 95 points, today! If you open one with the same reductive characters, just leave it in the fridge for 5 days! This is an Australian classic in the making.