The grand Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling 2013 + more Riesling from Harewood, Sapling Yard etc

It’s maddening that we’re in a world where grand, ten-year-old Riesling from a legendary vineyard sells for just $52. Or it did, and now it’s sold out (as it should be).

Heck, even old mate Jeffrey Grosset’s Polish Hill is an $80 proposition. And you want a top Grand Cru Alsace Riesling for German GG? $200 is a starting point.

Honestly, this isn’t even the best vintage, but the Pewsey Vale Contours Museum Release Riesling 2013 is a wine to admire. Now toasty and quite progressed, with some warm year, big wine tendencies, some TDN, and a rounder, even oily edge to the brisk, lime fruit. I don’t think it’s going to get better. What power, though. It’s a Riesling you can chew, with a sourness and a firm handshake to finish that marks this as a Riesling of grandiosity.

$52. Shit yes.

Best drinking: now. 18.5/20, 94/100. 12%, $52. Would I buy it? Sure would.

More Riesling

Tune out now if you’re Riesling offended…

Harewood Estate Porongurup Riesling 2023

Curiously, this is the least immediately great of the Harewood ’23 Riesling releases so far. But it’s also the most reserved, especially after the Tunney. Has a little more stonefruit inflections in the green fruit too – plenty of power and width here, almost Alsatian ripeness, and still with the fennel Harewood aromatics. A wine of palate power, but not seduction, as if it’s still coming together. Great length though. Hmmm. Still, a high-quality dry Australian Riesling.

Best drinking: It might be worth keeping this wine until later, which is rare for the drink-me-immediately Harewood Riesling styles. 18/20, 93/100. 12%, $35. Would I buy it? Likely, yes.

Sapling Yard Braidwood Riesling 2023

Sourced from Carla Rodeghiero’s vineyard in Braidwood, which I don’t think fits in any wine GI. Maybe Southern NSW would be the default region? Anyway, Braidwood is on the Great Dividing Range and cooler/higher than most of Canberra. Riesling from this plot is whole bunch pressed and fermented cool. Man this is tangy – an ocean of green apple and grapefruit citrus fruit. It’s a real acid-hound wine, but pristine green grapefruit flavours mark this so precise. Impressive, even if it’s going to be a little too honed for many.

Best drinking: great now, but will last forever. 18/20, 93/100. 10%, $38. Would I buy it? Yes.

Castle Rock Estate Skywalk Riesling 2023

The more approachable of the Castle Rock Riesling range and its curiously underpowered. A little black texta and unripe blackcurrant, a flirt of musky terpene, then a tangy and grapefruit palate with stern acidity. It’s still fresh, long and unquestionably high quality, but doesn’t feel as perfect as the Estate Riesling.

Best drinking: nowish. 17.7/20, 92/100. 11.8%, $26. Would I buy it? Well yes, but I’d prefer to spend the extra dollars on the Estate wine.

Lerida Estate Cullerin Riesling 2023

We’re back in Canberra, and this time it’s a ‘mineral, elegant, off-dry Riesling’. Can’t argue with that green apple, dried apple and a little white flower florals. Gently, appley wine where the deft sweetness just knocks a bit off the firm bits. It’s delicate, fragrant, pleasurable, and nicely balanced, if a little too softly spoken to be profound.

Best drinking: nowish. 17.7/20, 92/100. 9.5%, $44. Would I buy it? A few glasses.

Longhop Ravine Riesling 2023

There are some bargain wines in the Longhop range. This Riesling uses Adelaide Hills fruit from Forreston and Kenton Valley. It’s a green fruited wine too, with celery. green bean, grapefruit and crunch, the palate sour, intense, and well delineated. , Pure, maybe a bit terse and tangy, but really well done for so few dollars.

Best drinking: nowish, no hurry. 17.7/20, 92/100. 12.5%, $24.99. Would I buy it? Sure would.

Shaw + Smith Riesling 2023

More residual and skin contact for this vintage and it leads to a wine with less jaunty angles but more joy. Ripe limes, the flavours more Meyer lemon and a softness to the chalky acidity. Enjoyable and affable, if a more round and open wine than something laser-etched. Certainly drinkable.

Best drinking: nowish. 17.7/20, 92/100. 13%, $38. Would i buy it? I’d share a bottle.

Koerner Brothers Riesling 2023

Pithy, grippy 2023 Clare Riesling. Lemon, pbenolics, it’s a bit a tough wine for now, but length is assured. Come back later.

Best drinking: put it away for five years. 17.5/20, 91/100+. 11.2%, $28. Would i buy it? A glass now, more later.

Paisley Cashmere Riesling 2023

Eden Valley fruit for this Paisley white. It’s tart and lean, all chalky grapefruit. A little pithy lemon but remains tight and a bit underdone, even if it gets a bit sunny and waxy late, with a sour citrus smack to finish. Pleasant but just a bit up and down, especially when looked at alongside such an illustrious Riesling company.

Best drinking: now. 17/20, 90/100. 11.5%, $30. Would I buy it? A glass.