Super Jim Barry 2013 Riesling x 2

September 24, 2013

The Lodge Hill Riesling below actually stayed open in my fridge for 2 1/2 weeks.

It wasn’t a deliberate act at first, but watching it evolve over multiple days in the fridge turned into one of those irresistible experiments – kinda like leaving a piece of cheese on the ground on a hot day and seeing when/if it’ll melt.

In this experiment, however, the wine one. Even on day 15, when most lesser reds and whites would have fallen over, the 2013 Lodge Hill riesling had a certain vibrancy and freshness to it that was unmistakeable. Sure a little oxidation had softened the edges, but the heart was still beating strongly indeed.

When coupled with the open expression – and ridiculous value proposition – of the 2013 Watervale Riesling, it is hard to say a bad word about this pair of wines. If anything they are too cheap for people to take seriously, the pricing still lagging behind the quality in typical Riesling style…

Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2013 12.2%

A quick Google search reveals that this can be had for under $14. Or about enough to buy two mid-strength beers in plastic cups at ANZ Stadium. I know what I’d prefer…

Open nose – all lime juice, talc and fruit expression. It’s a ripe year Jim Barry Watervale Rizza, yet the acidity is still sprightly and sherbety while retaining softness and ‘naturalness’. A wine that looks every bit the generous Clare Riesling, but with a perfect line of natural, citrus acidity to keep it in check. I’ve got a minor quibble about a little broadness through the middle, but otherwise this is flawless in its lime juice acid softness and genuine smashability without losing flavour impact. Just a lovely wine really, at a silly price. 18/20, 93/100

Lodge Hill Riesling 2013 12.4%

From one of the highest spots in the Clare Valley, as the Lodge Hill Vineyard sits at 480m above sea level.

Initially this was very closed. Closed, phenolic and more chalky, more drying and more serious in every way compared to the Watervale. Yet over several days the lime juice came to play revealing a firm, brooding, acid driven Riesling of chalk and swagger, ripe fruit underpinned by a core of almost blunt and powerful chalked lime Riesling fruit.

Many will prefer the Watervale for drinking now, and I don’t blame them either – this needed two days of being open in the fridge before it flashed its good bits, with a more stout fruit expression than the juicy Watervale. It’s a more serous propisition though and the sort of wine that you keep looking at and silently (or not so silently sometimes) remarking ‘jeez that’s a good wine’. 18.5/20, 94/100

2013, Clare Valley, Riesling, Top Wine, Top wines under $20, Value pick, Wine

Andrew Graham was once voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet. A WCA Journalism Young Gun now old hack with 25yrs as a buyer, judge, journalist, marketer and too much more.

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6 responses to “Super Jim Barry 2013 Riesling x 2”

Anonymous

September 24, 2013 at 10:08 pm

Jeez that's a good wine.

MichaelC

Reply
1. ozwinereview
  
  September 24, 2013 at 10:29 pm
  
  I'd also except 'woah that's a good wine' 🙂
  
  Reply
Anonymous

September 25, 2013 at 10:14 pm

Prompted by your review, I tried another 2013 Watervale (I drank one a couple of months ago). I confess to not absolutely loving this wine, both now and in the past. In fact, I've never thought fit to cellar any. Wife complained it was a bit "sweet" (fruit sweet?) and declined to drink more than a glass. I see what you mean about being a bit broad. The thing that doesn't press the right buttons is the nose. It smells kind of candied and sherbety, and there's a whiff of reduction too. If you like that, fine; if you don't, then I think you'll struggle to really love it. So I'd say about 90-91 from where I'm sitting. The Lodge Hill 2013 is a couple of notches above for me. Mind you I drank the rest of the bottle of the Watervale no trouble at all …

Andrew, do you know what happens when you cellar the Watervale from a good vintage. Does it lose that usual sherbety, slightly candied character?

MichaelC

Reply
1. ozwinereview
  
  September 25, 2013 at 11:11 pm
  
  I see that sweet and candied fruit in quite a few 2013 whites from SA – I think its simply a ripe fruit character, but I had a double check this morning of the Jim Barry website to see if it had any RS (in case we're talking about sugar sweetness). 3.6g/L for reference, which with a TA of 6.8 and pH 2.9 is probably not a factor. Interesting though. Do you see it in many other '13 Rizzas Michael?
  
  Oh and I've had some older versions of this and it just gets more lemon-lime cordial concentrate with age. It's not unattractive, but I think it gets too much over time.
  
  Reply
2. Anonymous
  
  September 25, 2013 at 11:53 pm
  
  I've not exactly drank bucket loads of 2013 SA Riesling just yet, but I've not seen the character to which your refer being particularly evident, though I've drank more Eden than Clare so far. If I was going to see that character, I would have seen it in the Lodge Hill given that the 2013, for my taste, was a bit too fruit sweet. Thanks for the thoughts on aging. I think it's the kind of wine to drink a cellar after release. That's why I've never cellared any.
  
  I'm going to order some KT Riesling later today, so we'll be seeing more Clare in the weeks ahead!
  
  MC
  
  Reply
3. ozwinereview
  
  September 26, 2013 at 2:26 pm
  
  You buying them all? Nice wines. Love the Melva most – worked and wonderful.
  
  Reply