TN: 2011 Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling

[n4sir]

2011 Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling 375ml, Clare Valley (screwcap): 12% alc. Medium gold/light amber. Pineapple, parafin wax, orange peel and lime matched to explosive, spritzy acidity from the mid-palate to the tingly finish. That unrelenting acid is almost Auslese-like in its austerity, and although it is sweet and exotic there seems to be little botrytis influence despite it being indicated in the release notes.



Cheers,
Ian

[Mahmoud Ali]

I didn't think the Cordon Cut was a botrytis affected style of wine. I'm under trhe impression that it was based on a late harvest of grapes whose cordon vines had bet cut and the grapes left to dry up on the vines. Of course there is nothing that prevents botrytis developing as the winemaker waits for the sugar content in the grapes rise.

By the way, the colour looks a lot like a recent '06 Noble One but the acididity is nowher near like an auslese.

Mahmoud.

[n4sir]

I didn't think the Cordon Cut was a botrytis affected style of wine. I'm under trhe impression that it was based on a late harvest of grapes whose cordon vines had bet cut and the grapes left to dry up on the vines. Of course there is nothing that prevents botrytis developing as the winemaker waits for the sugar content in the grapes rise.

Remember how wet the 2011 vintage was here? Normally Cordon Cut is not a botrytis affected wine, but in that vintage it happened (at least offically) for the first time. The following were the Winemaker's release notes from the Mount Horrocks website:

Pale yellow gold. Orange marmalade and fresh vanilla notes lift a most appealing aroma. These carry through to the palate, augmented with lemon curd and mineral-flint tones, a clear, bright sherbet-like tang and incredible length of flavour. It’s wonderfully concentrated and sweet but in no way cloying, managing to combine richness with vitality and texture with zing. This vintage is a little more intense, mouth-filling and flavoursome - partially due to the influence of botrytis cinerea mould, a first for Cordon Cut. Calls for flavoursome citrus or stone-fruit desserts and will age well in the cellar for at least six years.