The Auswine Forum

Hi eveyone,

I keep running into 2005 Clare Rieslings which knock me sideways.

I was in the Clare for a few days during vintage, and the word was that this could be another vintage of 2002 standards. From what I'm seeing now, I think it is. What do you reckon?

Eden Valley Rieslings are looking equally impressive.

Recent highlights: Grosset PH, Leonay, Leo Buring Eden Valley.

The Jim Barry Florita 2004 is also a stunner.

Cheers,
Tyson.

Tyson,

I hope they are a lot better than 2004, based on a tasting last night of the following from Clare, all 2004:

Leasingham Bin 7
The Wilson Vineyard Polish Hill River
Tim Knappstein Hand Picked
Pikes The Merle Reserve

The first 2 scored 95 from JH in his current edition, the second 2 scored 94.

I thought they were all pretty flat and uninteresting, there were very few positive comments from the non red-bigots in the nearly 30 strong tasting group, none of us could relate much to the supplied JH review notes.

Maybe you have to have a particularly specialised palate and a particularly positive attitude (or a particularly good imagination) to enjoy riesling?

BTW, this is a typical way the masochistic organiser of this monthly tasting group tortures the red wine lovers before the two brackets of (often excellent) reds to follow.

Brian,

I think the Pikes Merle 04 is stunning. One of the very best 04 rieslings I have seen.

Cheers

Grant wrote:Brian,

I think the Pikes Merle 04 is stunning. One of the very best 04 rieslings I have seen.

Cheers

This particular group obviously has no taste (for riesling) then, they ranked it last out of that four, the sweeter, less restrained Wilson came top, I abstained from ranking/voting. Two bottles poured for about 28 people.

tstelzer wrote:Hi eveyone,

I keep running into 2005 Clare Rieslings which knock me sideways.

I was in the Clare for a few days during vintage, and the word was that this could be another vintage of 2002 standards. From what I'm seeing now, I think it is. What do you reckon?

Eden Valley Rieslings are looking equally impressive.

Recent highlights: Grosset PH, Leonay, Leo Buring Eden Valley.

The Jim Barry Florita 2004 is also a stunner.

Cheers,
Tyson.

To date I'm yet to be convinced they're as good as 2002.

Yes they're a lot better than 2004 but realistically 2004 wasn't that good - too many have over-ripe tropical/yeasty characters and lack the structure to age.

There are some really big 2005 styles out there, particularly the O'Leary Walker Watervale and Mitchell, and yet they're quite different to the 2002s - big and brawny but without the same style/refinement & complexity.

It's not a conclusive opinion yet - I'll have to make the effort to try a lot more. Besides, if all the vintages were like 2002 it would become fairly boring!

Cheers
Ian

rooview wrote:I'd agree with you on the 05 PH Tyson!

Yep, this one is outstanding and a must buy.

Henty would me my favourite region for Rieslings and the 05s are as good as any I have had from there.

Riesling is Australias Forte for white without doubt.

And although nothing to do with this thread Grenache is very underatted for an Australian Red.

Had the 05 Mesh recently.

An absolutely stunning wine. On the nose an explosion of fennel and flowers. Incredible acidity, steely slatey minerally palate with wonderful length and fruit. Very long palate and after you swallow the acid just lingers and lingers. Would be great with Coffin Bay oysters rather than Sydney rocks.

n4sir wrote:To date I'm yet to be convinced they're as good as 2002.

Yes they're a lot better than 2004 but realistically 2004 wasn't that good - too many have over-ripe tropical/yeasty characters and lack the structure to age.

There are some really big 2005 styles out there, particularly the O'Leary Walker Watervale and Mitchell, and yet they're quite different to the 2002s - big and brawny but without the same style/refinement & complexity.

It's not a conclusive opinion yet - I'll have to make the effort to try a lot more. Besides, if all the vintages were like 2002 it would become fairly boring!

Cheers
Ian

I have to agree with Ian here. While the 2005 is a very good to outstanding vintage, they are quite full and forward in comparison, and lack the linearity exhibited by the '02s. While the fruit was looking very similar to 02 on the vine, I think a few people may have been caught out by the rapid flavour development that happened.

Nayan

Tyson,
I have to agree.2005 Clare and elsewhere that I have seen is brilliant.

I have recently seen verticals of Wilson Polish Hill, Clos Clare and Mitchell: 2005 was as good a vintage as any, if not the best. Beautiful zesty freshness, clear delineated bright fruit and zinging intensity. Same with Leonay, the Grossets, also in Victoria with Seppelts Drumborg and curiously also in Great Southern WA. Plantagenet 2005 looked great. 1995 revisited.

Only Mt Horrocks 2004 impressed me. 2004 Clare was a very weak vintage, diluted and lacking in puissance, persistence and flavour.

BTW like the web site design.

In 2002 I investigated the '02 Clos Clare, Tim Adams, Leo Buring Leonay, O'Leary Walker (both), Grosset, Howard Park, Jeanneret, Mitchell, and Skillogalee. My highlights were the Howard Park and Tim Adams.

This year, I've tried the '05 Tim Adams, Clos Clare, Buring Leonay and Eden Valley, Grosset Polish Hill and Watervale, O'Leary Walker Polish Hill and Watervale, Jeanneret, Mitchell, and Skillogalee. I wasn't too impressed with the Leonay or the Buring Eden Valley, but thought the Grosset Polish Hill and the Clos Clare were great.

To be honest, in '02 when I tried the '02's, I had more of a "phwoah" reaction than I did with the '05's in '05. They're both bloody good, and I don't think 2003 or 2004 were worthy of comparison (at least, what I tried), but if I were given the chance to compare a fresh '02 with a fresh '05, I'd probably go the '02.

Of course, I haven't tried an older '05 yet

I remember sort-of regretting I didn't buy more 97 Clare riesling when it was universely acclaimed as the 'vintage of the century' - lo and behold the whole damn lot of them fell over by about 7 years old! Turned out that 96 was way better!

I agree the 02s looked pretty good - I had an 02 Grosset Watervale in 03 sometime that was fair-dinkum stunning.

As for 05, well I don't know. I've not tasted any yet except for a Pikes wine, which was very taut and with some promise. I did buy a few Grosset Polish Hills. We'll see. At least going long on Clare riesling isn't such an expensve exercise...

I'm nursing a 96 Steingarten in front of me as I type. I bought 5 back in 97 - one began leaking after 5 years and we drank it - OK but obviously compromised. This one had a cork that's let a fine line of wine up what looks like a lateral structural fault line. The wine is really too oxidsied - flat and dulled, with a kerosene sheen that been wiped over with a dull nutty paste that's made it almost tannic. I remember Tyson posting notes on a vertical of this label years ago, and remarking on the crappy corks it's been forced to bear - I'm quite prepared to concur on the basis of my fairly limited experience with the wine.

You know, I'd be prepared to give up one-quarter (maybe even one third) of my existing cellared riesling if I could have the remainder retrospectively sealed sealed with screwcaps, let me tell you.

And why is RB posting twice on a riesling thread? Are we approaching the last days, or something?

cheers,
Graeme

GraemeG wrote:You know, I'd be prepared to give up one-quarter (maybe even one third) of my existing cellared riesling if I could have the remainder retrospectively sealed sealed with screwcaps, let me tell you.

cheers,
Graeme

I'd trade in the whole riesling stash on a 2 for 1 basis on those terms. I will give two cork bottles for each screwcap. Come to think of it. I'd trade most of the reds in on the same deal as well.

I have a lot of nice old riesling sleeping away. But Boy, do I also have a lot of vinegar.....