Riesling is sometimes overlooked as a sweet, simple wine, but there are some delicious, mouthfilling examples, sometimes with a little sweetness but also with steely dry finishes.
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective.
These are personal recommendations.
BEST UNDER $20
$21.50.
A mouthfilling style with attractive hints of lime, citrus and sweet stone fruit and a crisp, dry finish.
Four stars (out of five)
Good value
$29
Fragrant with hints of sweet tropical fruit, lime and pineapple, medium sweet but finishing with a lovely taut, dry finish.
Four stars (out of five)
Average value
$29
A steely, linear, mineral style with hints of nettles and zesty lime, but weighty in the mouth with a taut, zingy finish and lingering aftertaste.
A Central Otago classic.
Four stars (out of five)
Average value
$23
Oodles of attractive citrus fruit - lime, mandarin, grapefruit fill the mouth then finish with a crisp, dry finish.
Three stars (out of five)
Average value
$24
Floral with hints of lime and buttered toast, sweet fruit and nice, mouthfilling intensity with a tight, dry finish.
Three stars (out of five)
Average value
$32
Fragrant with stonefruit, lime, grapefruit and even azaleas, intense, concentrated but balanced with hints of nuts, marmalade and mineral, a silky texture and a long, stylish finish.
Different and delicious.
Five stars (out of five)
Good value
ANOTHER GLASS
Olssens Central Otago Dry Riesling 2009
$29
Hints of lime, mineral and buttered toast, mouthfilling but with a steely dry finish.
Three stars (out of five)
Below average value
Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Riesling 2009
$24
Attractive hints of citrus and stone fruit, medium sweet with a crisp bright finish.
Three stars (out of five)
Average value
