Riesling comes in so many styles, from light and ethereal with a steely backbone to big, powerful, almost Australian in style, from sweet to searingly dry.
Acidity is the backbone but the best are balanced with fruit and sometimes residual sweetness. Others can be almost aggressively acidic, but a year or two's bottle age can make a big difference.
BEST VALUE
$19
Four stars (out of five)
Good value
Floral aromas, hinting of lime flowers with attractive fruit, suggestions of citrus marmalade, and a hint of mineral, this seems to dance in the mouth with a bright, crisp, balanced finish.
$30
Four and a half stars
Average value
Grant Taylor's first riesling from the Waitaki is taut, crisp and precisely balanced, exuding ripe, sweet lime and other intense citrus fruit with a hint of mineral, a wonderfully invigorating acidity and a long, dry finish. A classic spatlese (late harvest) style. Give it a few years bottle age to develop its potential.
$23
Three and a half stars
Average value
Lively with a light sweetness, this appears ethereal and delicate but is firmly grounded, intense in the mouth with a steely backbone and a lingering aftertaste. At 8.5% it's a delicious example of naturally low alcohol style of riesling.
$15
Three and a half stars
Good value
Zesty with lots of lush sweet citrus and stone fruit but held in restraint by a lively minerality and crisp finish. An attractive wine, ready to drink at two years old.
$20
Three and a half stars
Average value
Hints of citrus and marmalade with darker, heavier flavours than is usual in riesling, with texture and a suggestion of nuttiness that fills out the palate and adds complexity, but it has a typical crisp acidity on the finish. A bigger wine, good with food.
$20
Three and a half stars
Average value
Broad and mouth-filling with lively overtones of fresh lime and tropical fruit, a firm backbone and a bright, steely dry finish. A medium-dry style with attractive freshness and texture.
ANOTHER GLASS
Valli Central Otago Old Vine Riesling 2013. 12%
$30
Four stars
Below average value
Grant Taylor's classic riesling is characteristic of the dry, rocky soils of the Black Ridge vineyard, powerful with lots of mineral, underlying lime and lemon, a
steely backbone and powerful, long finish. It's a stylish, dry wine with all the indications that it will develop with bottle age, as previous vintages.
Brancott Flight Waipara Riesling 2013 9%
$27
Three stars
Below average value
One of the new ``lifestyle'' low alcohol (9%) wines that is light in flavour, with a hint of lime, a slight sweetness and a clean crisp finish, but this does have some intensity and length . It's simple and easy to drink without thinking _ a bit like lime cordial.
