This was a delicious tasting of a dozen rieslings, from steely dry to medium, but as with all good riesling, they all had a crisp shaft of acidity on the finish. A few see-sawed between sweet and sour, but the best were harmonious, balanced and integrated, as all good wines are.
BEST VALUE
$20
Four stars (out of five)
Good value
A charming wine, floral, zesty with a lovely progression from initial ripe fruit _ soft peach, citrus and crisp apple _ to a juicy but intense dry finish. Widely available and sometimes on special.
BEST VALUE
$22
Four stars
Good value
A hint of pungency and delicate suggestions of lime and ripe apple and a silky texture are supported by a steely crisp backbone of acidity, and a, harmonious, racy, dry finish.
$22.50
Four stars
Good value
An older wine developing pungent hints of lime and petrol, this is nicely balanced with ripe fruit, a mineral undertone and a crisp, textural finish. Drinking well now.
$22
Three-and-a-half stars
Good value
From a Bendigo vineyard, this oozes ripe fruit hinting of peaches, mandarin and avocado, and ends with an attractive, taut, racy, but not searingly dry finish.
$28
Five stars
Good value
Golden in colour, this suggests golden kiwi, nectarine, mandarin and honey, but all tempered by a textural, almost savoury intensity, a beautiful balance and harmony and long finish. It is delicious now but will develop with several more years bottle age.
$30
Four stars
Average value
Fragrant with hints of nectarine, grapefruit and mineral, the initial sweetness and purity of fruit in this classy wine gives way to a steely dry finish, but the richness remains on the aftertaste.
ANOTHER GLASS
Two Rivers Juliet Marlborough Riesling
$22
Four stars
Good value
Tropical fruit with a hint of honey and beeswax sharpened by lime gives the impression of a late harvest style but underneath is a taut, steely backbone and dry finish that creep up on you.
Seresin Memento Marlborough Riesling 2010
$28
Four stars
Average value
A hint of ripe peach, dried apricot and lime, mouthfilling fruit that cushions the steely backbone, and crisp, taut finish.
Bouldevines Marlborough Riesling 2010
$20
Three stars
Average value
Hints of ripe peach, pear and lime with a suggestion of mineral, mouthfilling with a crisp tight finish.
Greenhough Apple Valley Riesling 2010
$22
Four stars
Good value
A medium style compared with the Hope Valley reviewed above, this is delicate and taut as a violin string with hints of lime and crisp apple, yet mouthfilling with a delicious, nervy, racy finish.
Fromm Marlborough Riesling Spatlese 2009
$29
Four stars
Average value
Fromm sent two rieslings, unusually closed with cork instead of screwcaps. The dry one was slightly cork-affected, however this late harvest wine in a delicate, low alcohol Germanic style was delicious and fragrant with wonderful purity of fruit (lime and citrus), a lovely intensity despite the delicacy, and a clean, crisp finish. It's typical of this producer's meticulous wines which are inspired by European styles but firmly rooted in its Marlborough vineyards.
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations. charmian.smith@odt.co.nz
Two stars - simple, clean, enjoyable wine; three stars - good wine with varietal characteristics; four stars - very good wine with some outstanding characteristics; five stars - outstanding wine with balance and harmony that leaves you with a sense of wonder.
