Diletti is the barrel-fermented star in the Castle Rock Riesling range, and I think it’s a challenging wine. Unlike the pure perfection of the Castle Rock Estate Riesling, this is less obvious and also less pretty, especially as it spends ten months in old wood. I still think the barrel character is a bit obvious, stirring in more vanilla popcorn and white peach barrel/ees white peach shade over the delicacy. But the palate profile is excellent – the oak is mainly on the nose, and the palate has an unmistakable chewy depth – a real grapefruit pith tang, but also Riesling in all its proudness. I like that this wine exists and admire the whole textural depth behind it, even if it’s not obviously seductive. You know what else? It’s cheap. Warm applause from me.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: I’d be keen to see this with five years more age on it. Even another 18 months.
• Score (out of 20): 18
• Score (out of 100): 93
• Alcohol %: 12
• RRP (in $AUD): 38
• Winery website: https://castlerockestate.com.au/
• Would I buy it?: a few glasses