The Auswine Forum

Over the past few years I've had a lot of trouble finding, at a reasonable price, a riesling worth cellaring. Consequently I have run out of aged rieslings but I have a lot of drink-now ones from trying different bottles. I want to start my aged rieslings again as I love them so much. So I need a reasonably priced current offering. Does anyone have any recommendations of which ones to try?
Thanks in advance
Kim

Woops, I didn't see this when I started my reply in the Jacob's Creek thread. Must of posted after I started replying Feel free to reply to my questions here though (which aged Rieslings have you liked in the past and which have you tried and have not performed for you).

cheers

Carl

Leo Buring Leonay is widely available and ageworthy, looking forward to my 2005s maturing...

Tim Adams 06 Reserve Riesling will cellar very, very well. I'm 24 now but have a six pack put away for my 40th... or beyond!

Similar money buys Grosset and Leonay and the other premium rieslings, but I reckon the Tim Adams stands out.

I don't think the 07 will last quite as long as the others, though.

Try these:

Leo Buring
Grossett (although some don't support that)
Petaluma
Pikes
O'Leary Walker
Mt Horrocks
Crawford River
Orlando - St Helga, Steingarten
Clonakilla
Pewsey Vale
Frankland Estate

Also try some of the Kiwi's although be aware what you're buying, residual sugar si commen

Then look at some Germans. Start with the ones labeled Trocken or perhaps Feinherb, they should be the driest.

cheers

Andrew

ditto Andrew! i always find the Polish Hill from Grosset to be the better keeper and watervale drink within 3-5 yrs, both are above $30 though. Some other good rieslings imo -
Peter Lehman Eden Valley $16-18
Heggies Eden $15 -$20
Wilson Polish Hill $20-$22
Pauletts $17-$20
Leasingham Bin 7 can't remember the price range but it sould be under $20

Cheers

Jamie

Bugger!

Like Carl, I've already responded to the JC thread, before reading this. Seeing that you want us to name names, here goes, in addition to those already mentioned (mostly Great Southern, coz I'm from WA):

Plantagenet
Harewood Estate
Ferngrove 'Cossack'
Capel Vale 'Whispering Hill'
Howard Park

Enioy! Aged riesling is an under-rated style - I was going to say 'sadly underrated', but it keeps the prices down on some fabulous wine

Not many Tasmanian ones been offered yet, so I'll say:

Freycinet

Also (not from Tasmania) the Best's Great Western Riesling can be highly ageworthy.

For serious ageworthiness, I can't see how O'Leary Walker would qualify, as the label hasn't been around that long. Not that they won't age, but they don't yet have the pedigree of say a Buring, or a Petaluma, or Pewsey Vale.

Forest Hill Vineyard (Denmark WA/Great Southern)

Howard Park
Grosset
Petaluma

Why hasn't anyone mentioned Seppelt Drumborg? It's got the structure to last just as well or perhaps I should say "even better" than anything listed thus far.

Other less well known makers that are relatively inexpensive (most hereunder are 20 bucks or less) and have impressed for their quite statuesque structure suitable for medium/long ageing:
- Clos Clare
- Neagle Rock
- Stephen John (Clare)
- Castle Rock
- Plantagenet
- Forest Hill
- Clonakilla
- Delatite
- Freycinet
- The Wilson Vineyard
- Crawford River (a bit pricey, but worth getting)
- Frankland River (ditto)
- Gilberts (particularly the reserve - "exy" though)
- Alkoomi
- Richmond Grove (big volume and commercial but last well and always a bargain)
- Shaw Vineyard (Canberra)

I've purposely left out the more common, better known makers, many of whom have been listed earlier in this thread.

Wow, I didn't expect so much info and so many recommendations. I'll go thru the listings and make some purchases and let you know of results.
Thanks everyone for your help. I'm off and running...
Kim

As usual, great list from David L. Some even here in Alberta!!

I had a Pewsey Vales Contours recently that was around 8 years old, and it had aged beautifully. Don't ask what vintage, I can't remember. Let's say it was a good one.

DavidL,
i've never tryed an old Drumborg , have you any notes?

Jamie

griff wrote:(which aged Rieslings have you liked in the past and which have you tried and have not performed for you).

Hi Carl
Over the past 40-odd years I've had many very good rieslings that have aged well. It's just that over the past few years I haven't found any bottle that I have considered worth cellaring even though I have tried about, I guess, 40 bottles. Very pleasant drinking but not what I would consider cellaring material. My age and reduced tasting ability may have something to do with it.
Looking at what I have just wriiten has made me consider that I'm being too picky and maybe I should try a couple of dozen different producers and see how they turn out.
I can always drink the ones not maturing well! *grin*
Kim

plummy wrote:

griff wrote:(which aged Rieslings have you liked in the past and which have you tried and have not performed for you).

Hi Carl
Over the past 40-odd years I've had many very good rieslings that have aged well. It's just that over the past few years I haven't found any bottle that I have considered worth cellaring even though I have tried about, I guess, 40 bottles. Very pleasant drinking but not what I would consider cellaring material. My age and reduced tasting ability may have something to do with it.
Looking at what I have just wriiten has made me consider that I'm being too picky and maybe I should try a couple of dozen different producers and see how they turn out.
I can always drink the ones not maturing well! *grin*
Kim

I didn't try rieslings such as the 70's Leo Burings upon release so I can't say whether they have changed or not. I agree that not all rieslings look like they can make old bones but most if not all the ones mentioned above have the potential.

One should say that it is best to take the vintage into account as well. Years such as 2002 and 2005 in the Clare and Eden valleys were classic cellaring years with many candidates for the cellar. Recent vintages have been more hit and miss and I would argue most are less suited for cellaring but they are due another good cellaring year shortly. Great Southern have had a string of decent vintages with both 2007 and 2008 looking good at this stage.

cheers

Carl

JamieH wrote:DavidL,

I've never tried an old Drumborg , have you any notes?

Jamie

To the best of a failing memory, Drumborg Riesling has made quite sporadic appearances over the years (some years are so cold and wet, it's difficult to ripen the grapes to a level where it's even worth picking any) and the oldest I remember trying was the 1988, although I do recall enjoying the 1993 somewhat more in the first few years of the new millenium. The 1998 was gorgeously appley and very approachable with an underpinning "Alsatian" minerality at release. Unfortunately, within a few years under cork, the wine fell over big-time. The 1999 was held back at Great Western for some years. A steely, schisty, acid-rich wine in its youth, this wine has developed more quickly than I thought possible and is probably at the peak of its considerable powers, although it won't fall over in a hurry. I've got the 2003, 2004 and 2005 sitting in the cellar and tried a 2003 some months ago and it was still as tight as a fish's backside. Sorry I can't be of any more help with specific tasting notes of older vintages, Jamie.

For what it is worth, I think Petaluma is variable especially in terms of cellaring. And with regard to the current 2008 Petaluma Riesling, I would look elsewhere for current and aged drinking. For example, if you want a Clare example to drink and cellar, the 2008 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling is more complex in terms of structure and flavour for current drinking, and has more, finer and longer acid for aging.

Just another opinion though!

Adair

Adair wrote:For what it is worth, I think Petaluma is variable especially in terms of cellaring. And with regard to the current 2008 Petaluma Riesling, I would look elsewhere for current and aged drinking. For example, if you want a Clare example to drink and cellar, the 2008 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling is more complex in terms of structure and flavour for current drinking, and has more, finer and longer acid for aging.

Just another opinion though!

Adair

Make that two opinions. Was disappointed with the 08 Petaluma but the OW polish hill is superb!

cheers

Carl

griff wrote:

Adair wrote: ... if you want a Clare example to drink and cellar, the 2008 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling is more complex in terms of structure and flavour for current drinking, and has more, finer and longer acid for aging.

Adair

Make that two opinions. Was disappointed with the 08 Petaluma but the OW polish hill is superb!

cheers

Carl

Thanks for the recommendation, guys. I purchased a bottle among the six rieslings I recently purchased but haven't got to taste it yet but will do so soon
Cheers
Kim

Found some Alkoomi here in town today, cannot remember the vintage though. Will look again tomorrow. $21 Cdn.

Opened a 2002 Pet. Hanlin Hill Riesling last night and it was fantastic.

Paullie wrote:Opened a 2002 Pet. Hanlin Hill Riesling last night and it was fantastic.

Yes, the 2002 is one great wine. Would you please tell me if your bottle was under cork or screwcap?

Thanks,
Adair

Certainly I have had some lovely bottles of Drumborg riesling.

The other excellent one that I didn't see in this thread, in my cursory reading of it, is the Taylors St Andrews riesling.

Adair wrote:

Paullie wrote:Opened a 2002 Pet. Hanlin Hill Riesling last night and it was fantastic.

Yes, the 2002 is one great wine. Would you please tell me if your bottle was under cork or screwcap?

Thanks,
Adair

Adair

I have both cork and screwcap 2002 Pet Hanlin in the cellar. Both have been fantastic. No noticeable variation so far. At the moment this really is the house riesling over summer.

rooman wrote:

Adair wrote:

Paullie wrote:Opened a 2002 Pet. Hanlin Hill Riesling last night and it was fantastic.

Yes, the 2002 is one great wine. Would you please tell me if your bottle was under cork or screwcap?

Thanks,
Adair

Adair

I have both cork and screwcap 2002 Pet Hanlin in the cellar. Both have been fantastic. No noticeable variation so far. At the moment this really is the house riesling over summer.

Now this is really interesting. The oldest wine I have in both screwcap and cork in the cellar is 6 bottles of each closure in the 2001 Cullen DM CS, with each flat 6-pack tied to each other to ensure consistent cellaring between the two packs, but I will wait a fair bit longer to open my first examples of each.

The fact that you have found no noticeable variation between the two is wonderful, at least from a screwcap point of view.

My 2002 Petalumas are all under screwcap.

Thanks,
Adair

Adair wrote:

Paullie wrote:Opened a 2002 Pet. Hanlin Hill Riesling last night and it was fantastic.

Yes, the 2002 is one great wine. Would you please tell me if your bottle was under cork or screwcap?

Thanks,
Adair

This particular one was screwcap, but I've had the same out of my cellar in cork, with no noticeable difference.