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2004 Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling - Cleanskin (screwcap): I was lucky enough to be given a bottle recently of the vintage that never was (although the screwcap closure says otherwise). Bright, medium straw/green colour. Pithy, mineraly nose with wet limestone, bright citrus/sweet perfume/florals, then wet grass with breathing. The palate's spritzy/tingly right from the outset, with sweet lemon/lime fruit, developing some pithy grip and yet that same spicy/hefty acid intensifies with it, finishing very long with teeth-gripping acid and a hint of detergent suds, then tobacco and even a little bacon fat. I heard they were spooked by the previous vintage after its release and didn't like the way this one was going when they made the decision not to release it - on this form I'm a little surprised.

Cheers,
Ian

n4sir wrote: finishing very long with teeth-gripping acid and a hint of detergent suds, then tobacco and even a little bacon fat. I heard they were spooked by the previous vintage after its release and didn’t like the way this one was going when they made the decision not to release it - on this form I’m a little surprised.

Cheers,
Ian

G'day Ian

Some of the descriptors you're using (above) don't say 'riesling' to me at all! Tobacco is something I am more likely to associate with reds, and bacon fat has me quite surprised. Wouldn't these characteristics have detracted from the lemon / lime and other (delicious sounding) tastes you found in the wine?

Cheers

Allan

Waiters Friend wrote:

n4sir wrote: finishing very long with teeth-gripping acid and a hint of detergent suds, then tobacco and even a little bacon fat. I heard they were spooked by the previous vintage after its release and didn’t like the way this one was going when they made the decision not to release it - on this form I’m a little surprised.

Cheers,
Ian

G'day Ian

Some of the descriptors you're using (above) don't say 'riesling' to me at all! Tobacco is something I am more likely to associate with reds, and bacon fat has me quite surprised. Wouldn't these characteristics have detracted from the lemon / lime and other (delicious sounding) tastes you found in the wine?

Cheers

Allan

I actually find these characteristics exotic and a little exciting, and not dissimilar to the 2002 Knappstein at the AFWAC 2002 Clare Riesling Horizontal earlier this year. Both are head-bangers and at the moment and are admittedly for the very brave - I remember dlo commenting the Knappstein sounded like it's overburdened with sulphur, yet they're not pongy and revolting like a bad bottle of the 2003 Steingarten (I've had a couple of those).

I also get the bacon & tobacco characters on some (aged) chardonnays, semillons & Champagne too (almost always on the palate rather than the bouquet) - I have to admit I do get some confused looks at times when I mention it aloud in some of these big tastings.

Cheers,
Ian

Word I had (or thought I had) was something about a winemaking botch by an assistant. Or somesuch. If so, sounds like it survived anyway.

I just picked up a carton of this... well i'm going halves with the FIL so I have 6.... make that 5

Lovely golden straw colour, not getting much of the green though. Still very spritzy. The lemon and lime citrus still going strong though not overly sweet. Sweet but not sickly sweet. Still got lots of grip on the finish but very easy drinking. I'm going to love this one i'll try it again when it's hot.

Wayno wrote:Word I had (or thought I had) was something about a winemaking botch by an assistant. Or somesuch. If so, sounds like it survived anyway.

I heard too much dissolved CO2. Every now and then you may get a bottle that has a slight fizz. Should make them age extremely well though. I have just arranged to buy a few cases at a great price.

I've always enjoyed the steingarten.

Any clues where the cleanskin can be found?

orpheus wrote:I've always enjoyed the steingarten.

Any clues where the cleanskin can be found?

ditto!

Does Auswine stock them?

Sarg wrote:I just picked up a carton of this... well i'm going halves with the FIL so I have 6.... make that 5

Lovely golden straw colour, not getting much of the green though. Still very spritzy. The lemon and lime citrus still going strong though not overly sweet. Sweet but not sickly sweet. Still got lots of grip on the finish but very easy drinking. I'm going to love this one i'll try it again when it's hot.

Hi Sarg

What vintage are you describing here ?

Thankx
Ronaldo

Maroon&Blue wrote:

Sarg wrote:I just picked up a carton of this... well i'm going halves with the FIL so I have 6.... make that 5

Lovely golden straw colour, not getting much of the green though. Still very spritzy. The lemon and lime citrus still going strong though not overly sweet. Sweet but not sickly sweet. Still got lots of grip on the finish but very easy drinking. I'm going to love this one i'll try it again when it's hot.

Hi Sarg

What vintage are you describing here ?

Thankx
Ronaldo

Unreleased 04 same as Ian i'm just hopeless at tasting notes.

Orpheus i got them through a friends partner. Could only get one carton wasn't many at the time apparently.

I finally got my hands on a case of this. I ordered it a while ago from a friend who works for Pernod Ricard and as far as I know this is the only way to get it. It is not even on their normal staff price list - it is a special order.

The carton is very plane with the only mention of what’s inside being a very small ‘2004 Stiengarten Riesling’ printed on one end. The bottles are unlabeld but it does say Stiengarten on the screw cap.

When I poured a glass I noticed that it was full of very tiny bubbles. Unlike champagne or even mascato, where the bubbles float to the top, these bubbles were suspended in the wine and gave it a slightly cloudy appearance. This would support the theory that this wine was not released due to an excess of CO2. After a while the bubbles disappeared.

Although still pale, the wine is starting to show a bit of colour. It smells of citrus and floral which is also apparent on the palate, along with a hint of spice and a long grippy, mouth puckering finish. Other than the bubbles I did not think there is anything wrong with this wine and it should age for 20 years or more.