The Riesling Revival

IF YOU WERE to ask what the best-value wines in the country were, the answer would stop at two – fortified and riesling. Perhaps not the response you were expecting, but it’s hard to fault what these two bring to the table.

Fortified wines were all the rage a few decades ago and they have, well, fallen off the proverbial cliff. Australia’s love affair with this style of wine has decreased to be all but a shadow of its former self and has now shunted to the side. Non-vintage fortifieds – which incorporate barrel-aged portions of 60, 70, or even 100 years plus – sadly sit idle on increasingly diminishing shelf space.

Riesling, on the other hand, seems to have had a second wind and consumers are flocking back to this refreshing and crisp style. Once pigeon-holed as a sweet wine, the tide has turned and long gone are the days of Blue Nun and Black Tower.

What elevates the senses and excites the wine lover with riesling is its pristine balance of fruit and acidity. From bone dry examples, off-dry styles which carry a little bit of residual sugar and those which have aged and developed some lovely and delicate toasty notes from time in bottle, riesling is a fabulous choice for many occasions.

The dance floor for Australian Riesling is the Clare Valley. Although the region produces only roughly three per cent of wine in the country, with its higher altitude than the Barossa and five sub-regions, it’s diurnal shift between the warm days and cool nights makes this fabulous riesling country.

Andrew Mitchell from Mitchell Wines says, “If you roll into Clare on a hot summer’s day you may well wonder how we can produce wine at all. But wait until the sun goes down and suddenly there is a beautiful cool breeze blowing through the valley.”

Andrew, who prefers to release his riesling once settled in the bottle, can’t speak highly enough of the quality of riesling coming from the region for more than 150 years.

If comparison is your thing, O’Leary Walker gets the best of two of these Clare sub-regions producing a riesling from both the Watervale and Polish Hill River. Watervale is characterised by red loam over limestone delivering more citrusy and fruit-driven styles. Nine kilometres down the road, the Polish Hill River is much cooler. So much so, the fruit is picked two to three weeks after Watervale. These vines are planted in soils of grey loam over sandstone with broken shale. To see a minerally drive through these Polish Hill River wines is not uncommon, yet they can also be expressive with taut and tight acidity.

Riesling can be found in just about every wine region in Australia, such is its versatility. One region making all the right noises is Tasmania. Samantha Connew of Stargazer Wines makes her riesling with fruit from the Coal River just outside Hobart. “Tassie riesling is unique because it has a different fruit spectrum to other regions such as the Clare and Eden valleys,” she says. “Something you can expect from cooler-climate riesling is that they are pretty approachable and fruit friendly. Look for more green apple and florals and beautiful acid structure.”

Closer to home, up until a few years ago there was only one riesling vineyard perched on the Granite Belt. Sitting some 800 metres above sea level, two labels source fruit from this 15-yearold two-hectare site. The better of the two comes from the hands of Ridgemill Estate winemaker Peter McGlashan.

Such has been the success of the riesling he has produced, three years ago Peter grafted some more riesling onto existing vines on a new site adjacent to the winery.

Coonawarra is often cast as red wine country but its production of riesling sneaks under the radar and surprises many. Gorgeous aged examples can be found at The Blok Estate. Track down one of its 10-year-old rieslings which scream value and drip with interest for $32.

A sleeping giant and a region well worth exploring with your taste buds is Western Australia’s Great Southern. Check the note over the page to wet your whistle.

All up, find a good riesling and you’ll be smitten and sure to be frolicking in the pleasure zone.

EIGHT TO TRY:

1. CASTLE ROCK SKYWALK RIESLING 2018 (GREAT SOUTHERN) $18 A ridiculous bargain! Incredibly fragrant yet some tension evident with chalky feels. Super refreshing, this is a wine that leans its way to cutting through fish and chips beachside.

2. RAIDIS ESTATE THE KID RIESLING 2018 (COONAWARRA) $20 Coonawarra Riesling doesn’t get the praise it deserves. An attractive lemony drive hums along with a lime zest twist at the death. Crisp then chalky to finish, damn this is good gear.

3. JIM BARRY WATERVALE RIESLING 2018 (CLARE VALLEY) $20 A great place to start your riesling journey. Often priced well below its RRP, it’s a wine bursting with fresh limes and lime leaf, gorgeous florals and good acidity. A fab drink to kick back with and cool your heels.

4. RIDGEMILL ESTATE RIESLING 2017 (GRANITE BELT) $26 Tasty gear and then some. Talc and limes dance with ease with that Granite Belt minerality seeping through its pores. Pithy to finish with a citrusy tang, it lingers long and puts a big tick in the refreshment box.

5. STARGAZER RIESLING 2018 (TASMANIA) $28 Tightly wound, electrifying steely acidity knocks this into shape. Juicy lemons and washes of green apples are the heartbeat. Flinty and tangy to close, boom! Aperitif or fresh seafood – you choose and win.

6. MAX & ME MIROOLOO ROAD RIESLING 2018 (EDEN VALLEY) $30 Whiffs of pine-lime splice spill from the glass. In hot pursuit comes lime leaf, white flowers and a touch of old-school lemonade. An undertow of chalky feels latch on to a long and moreish finish. Savour each sip.

7. GUNDOG ESTATE CANBERRA DISTRICT RIESLING 2018 (CANBERRA) $30 Such a wonderful drink for an arvo chill-out with friends calling for big pours and much laughter. Fragrant green apple and jasmine flowers early, whispers of honeycomb and bath salts all add merit with squeezes of lemon at the wheel. The tight profile is the clincher.

8. MITCHELL WINES MCNICOL RIESLING 2009 (CLARE VALLEY) $35 Generous and moreish all the way. Preserved lemon and dripping with lemon juice, the entrance into the ageing phase is clear with kerosene and toasty characters playing a neat tune. The mouth is generously coated and deliciously weighted. Superb drinking.

WORDS STEVE LESZCZYNSKI