Another "cheats method" is to look at the alcohol level on the label. The sweetness is normally the unfermented natural grape sugar, so a Riesling with say, 12-12.5% alc should be dry while lower alc levels will increase in sweetness. It’s imperfect science but a useful starting point.
2023 Valli Waitaki Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Brightly perfumed,
white flower florality,
crisp apple, lemon
skin citrus, a wisp of
dry honey, very
engaging. Crisp,
fresh, light honeyed
sweetness yet the
racy acidity keeps
this vibrantly just
off-dry. Creaminess
on entry, that combo
of honey, citrus and
apple really works.
With air, now drier
and more about that
salivatory acid drive.
2024 Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling
Rating Excellent
A salty mineral
quality, wisps of
struck match and
botrytis, orange peel
and honey. Dry with
clear richness and
depth to the palate,
mouthfilling, orange/
mandarin citrus,
caraway seed,
flavours go on and on.
Now a wee prickle on
the palate, pear notes,
showing its youthful
tautness now. I’m
sure this will only get
better with time. I may
be underscoring it.
2024 Hawkshead Central Otago Riesling
Rating Excellent
Lovely florals, touches
of jasmine and red
apple, a little spice
perhaps. Dry, quite fine
and linear, taut in the
mouth in a nice way.
Flower petal and apple
again on the palate,
fleshing out now,
gaining richness. A finer,
elegant style, steely and
rather charming. Rather
than shouting from the
rooftops this has a rather
beguiling feel, I suspect
a glass would evaporate
before you know it.
2019 Domaine Rewa Central Otago Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Fascinating nose of
beewax and lanolin,
citrus and dry honey,
draws you back for
more. Richly creamy
on entry, the lightly
honeyed citrussy
notes meet a
counterpoint of crisp
acidity that brings
this to a just off-dry
conclusion. Hints of
granny smith apple
and almond now,
some chewy grip,
excellent carry, this
marries depth while
being light on its feet.
2015 Pegasus Bay Aged Release Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
One of those noses
where isolating
characters is
superfluous, it is so
quietly engaging as a
whole. The palate
ramps up the impact,
a tickle of spritz
initially, giving way to
chalky phenolics that
build texture, toast
and honey
development and
excellent length. One
again it’s the
expression as a whole
that is so engaging.
So, so moreish.
2024 Carrick Josephine Organic Bannockburn Riesling
Rating Excellent
Yeast esters and
honeyed botrytis,
flower blossom, citrus,
red apple, lots going on.
That red apple a core
around which honey,
citrus and spice
revolve. A little chalky
grip, richly honeyed
palate and then a real
salivatory quality that
gets the juices flowing.
Lovely balance between
the sweetness, acidity
and grip, now with
some real raciness
driving the long close.
