Grand Cru (Perth) Riesling tasting 21 February 2018

[Waiters Friend]

G’day
This was the first Grand Cru tasting for 2018, and the first I have been to for a few months. The night’s theme was Riesling – any country or style. They were tasted blind, with only the vintage known, and tasted from youngest to oldest. We looked at the following 8 wines over the evening:

Rieslingfreak #4 (Eden Valley) Very pale, almost clear in colour. Initially austere, with delicate lemon and lime and some white flowers. One taster described the nose as “pretty”. The palate is zesty, almost tart, with granny smith apple accompanying the citrus. High acid.

Sybile Kuntz 2016 Kabinett Trocken, Mosel, Germany. Yellow, and relatively dark for a 2016. The nose shows sherbet, lychee and tropical fruits, and was described as very “giving”. The palate is rich with lemon and orange rind bordering on marmalade. There’s white grapefruit, and a little slate and white pepper. The wine appears to be quite developed given its youth – there’s a good line of acid and it finishes long. Screwcap, by the way, not cork.

Best’s Great Western 2016 (Victoria). Pale yellow in colour. The nose is delicate yet perfumed, with lime and floral blossoms. The nose was described as “elegant” and “even”. The palate is fuller, with ginger, glace` fig, orange rind leading to marmalade. It’s quite fruity all round and even a touch of apricot. High acid and a touch of spritz. This was unanimously the best wine of the first three.

Seppelts Drumborg 2013 (Victoria). Pale yellow. Shy nose initially, with some mineral, slate and musk, and a slight hint of kero and lanolin. The palate was fresh, with tangy lime and lemon, pronounced linear acid and mouthfilling, with the citrus fanning out over the back palate. Good length and well balanced. Well received by the group.

Seppelts Great Western 2012 (Victoria). Moderately pale yellow. Austere and reserved, lemon and lime. The palate shows tangy lemon/lime cordial, high acid and a touch of residual sugar. Described as a “simple summer wine”. Tasted alongside and overshadowed by the Drumborg.

Wykari 2011 (Clare Valley S.A.). Quite honeyed and toasty on the nose, unfortunately followed by a little burnt rubber and signs of oxidation (despite screwcap). Discounted from the tasting. Apparently other bottles of this opened recently showed very well.

Wilson’s Polish Hill 2008 (Clare Valley S.A.). Yellow, but not yet approaching golden. A toasty nose, with a little musk on pouring. Developed (but not cordial-like) lime and warm lemon, with the sharp edges gone. Lovely and complex honeyed palate, with plenty of acid. Balanced, and “phenomenal” length. Universally liked, but some tasters wonder whether it might have been even better 2 years ago.

Grosset Polish Hill 1996 (Clare Valley S.A.). The only wine under cork. Dark orange on pour and clearly past it. Described as sherry like, with one taster specifying “manzanilla flor” because of the salty tang. Some lanolin and kero, but clearly past it’s prime.

Some observations:

1. W.A. makes some excellent Riesling, especially from the Great Southern, yet we didn’t see one in this tasting.
2. Two of the three most favoured wines of the night were from Great Western in Victoria. The only non-Victorian competition was the Wilson (Clare).

The Seppelts Drumborg 2013 was selected as wine of the night. Thanks to those who were there, and generously offered their wines.

Cheers
Allan