At the foot of the majestic Schlossberg hill, in a setting of vines and roses, the Domaine Weinbach "wine stream", named after the small stream that crosses it, was built in 1612 by the Capuchin monks. Sold as national property during the French Revolution, the Estate was acquired in 1898 by the Faller brothers who passed it on to their son and nephew Théo. A great figure in the Alsatian vineyard and ardent promoter of its recognition as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, Théo Faller works for the quality of Alsace wines and the development of their incomparable terroirs and grape varieties. In love with his property, he develops it, enlarges it and embellishes it. From 1979, his wife Colette and his daughters Catherine and Laurence demonstrated the same passion for the great wines of Alsace and the same unfailing attachment to quality. Since 2016, Catherine Faller has been running the Domaine with her sons Eddy and Théo. Cuvée Théo Riesling comes exclusively from the monopole Le Clos des Capucins. The clos is well protected from winds by the surrounding hills and by the walls that enclose it. The soils consist of sand, alluvial pebbles and granitic gravel. Here, the low-cropping vines typically offer up a supple and pithy Riesling that is beautifully accessible when young - a reflection of these sandy soils. As per all Weinbach dry Rieslings, this was whole-bunch pressed, fermented without any yeast additions and matured in very old oak casks for 10 months. Biodynamic. It’s beautifully ripe yet crisp, with flawless clarity and vibrating citric freshness. Expect waves of crunchy citrus pith, florals and stone-fruit juiciness, excellent pulp and precision and driven compact length. Finishing on a mineral/umami note, this is a brilliant Riesling—arguably the most electric young Théo Riesling we have seen for some time. All class. Beautifully ripe yet crisp, with flawless clarity and vibrating citric freshness. Expect waves of crunchy citrus pith, florals and stone-fruit juiciness, excellent pulp and precision and driven compact length. Finishing on a mineral/umami note, this is a brilliant Riesling.

Exotic and expansive Tasmanian Riesling with oodles of tropical fruit and bracing acidity.

Founded by Steve Planthaber, originally from Adelaide but post school left for the South Island of New Zealand. A move to Marlborough with his partner Kirsty Sutherland cemented his love for all things wine. Hard not to be inspired when meeting the Sutherland’s who were one of the pioneers of viticulture in the region, part of the original success of Cloudy Bay followed by establishing their own estate Dog Point. Steve was keen to find his own path and after 12 years running the production and operations at Cloudy Bay decided to begin his own wine brand, Settlement. Settlement, named after the stunning Amphitheatre single vineyard site in the Omaka Valley, is dedicated entirely to the production of organic, old vine single vineyard expressions of very special sites in Marlborough. Planted in 1997 the Ashmore vineyard is located in the southern end Wairau Valley hence why it has a soil type reflecting the signature of the Southern Valleys, with silt loam soils overlying clay Although the vineyard has irrigation it’s never used, simply due to the now established 23 year old plantings and terrior. Hand-picked, whole bunch pressed to tank. Marlborough of course produces wines with naturally very high acidity (in this case a PH of 2.88) and with this in mind Steve was keen to balance this in the Riesling, finishing the ferment early to retain some residual sugar,15 grams to be exact. 12 months in bottle before release.

Product Information: 2022 was a sensational vintage for dry riesling from the grand cru sites with granitic soils, such as the Schlossberg. Without a doubt the pinnacle is the Grand Cru Schlossberg Cuvée Sainte Catherine Riesling 2022, which Stuart Piggot describes as "a perfect masterpiece of minerality". Concentrated and still very youthful, with energetic stonefruits are the tip of the iceberg for what is to come. Cuvee Sainte-Catherine is made from the prime mid-slope plots on Schlossberg between 320 and 420 meters above sea level. This combination of altitude, low-vigour soils and low yields is potent and yields a deep, dry, mineral Riesling with intense freshness to balance the wine core of fruit. A worthy investment, for well dressed cellars. Maker: Domaine Weinbach is celebrated as one of Alsace's top producers and, by extension, one of the finest aromatic estates globally. Despite its acclaim, it remains refreshingly modest. Under the stewardship of the Faller sisters, Catherine and Laurence, the Domaine manages 27 hectares of predominantly Grand Cru vineyards, including the renowned Schlossberg. Since 2005, they have embraced biodynamic farming. Domaine Weinbach’s wines, known for their power and purity, rank among the best aromatic whites available today. They offer exceptional quality at a price comparable to top white Burgundies and premium German Rieslings. Positioned at the base of the grand Schlossberg hill, Domaine Weinbach’s "wine stream," named after the small stream that runs through it, was originally built by Capuchin monks in 1612. After being sold as national property during the French Revolution, the Estate was acquired in 1898 by the Faller brothers, who passed it on to their son and nephew, Théo. A prominent figure in Alsace, Théo Faller was a outspoken promoter for the recognition of Alsace wines as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée and dedicated himself to enhancing the Estate’s quality and terroir. From 1979, Théo's wife Colette and daughters Catherine and Laurence continued his legacy with a steadfast commitment to excellence. Since 2016, Catherine Faller, alongside her sons Eddy and another Théo, has been at the helm, perpetuating the Domaine’s tradition of producing exceptional Alsace wines. Vineyard: The 2022 releases from Domaine Weinbach underscore the estate’s brilliance. The growing season was notably dry and warm, with no disease pressure affecting the pristine fruit. While the dryness was manageable and did not lead to drought conditions, yields were lower than average. This reduction, however, resulted in wines of remarkable concentration and vibrant fruit flavours. Domaine Weinbach’s wines are renowned for their longevity and consistent high standards, a tradition that has been upheld for decades. Riesling is the star in 2022, with four distinct options. Cuvee Theo, from the sand and gravel of Clos des Capucins, alaways the most approachable. Cuvee Colette stands out for its impressive minerality and power, coming from granite at the base of the Schlossberg hill. The Grand Crus from Schlossberg are exceptional: Schlossberg itself comes from the highest, poorest soil at the top of the hill (98 Points), while Cuvee Sainte-Catherine is made from the prime mid-slope plots on Schlossberg. Stuart Pigott awarded Cuvee Sainte-Catherine 100 points, calling it "a perfect masterpiece of minerality." These are truly timeless wines—worthy of investing in now to enjoy their rewards in the years to come. Nose - Amalfi Lemon, Taut Yellow Fruits, Flint Spray of ripe Amalfi lemon zest, ripe and so fresh, imbued with a touch of smoke - like rocks bashed together. Palate - Stone Fruits, Meyer Lemon, Piercing Acid Ripe, juicy, mouth-watering Amalfi and Meyer lemon are the stars on the clean-cut, taut and stony palate, and their juiciness and aroma make the mouth water Finish - Stony Minerals, Lemon Zest, Mouth Coating Finis The mouth-coating, zesty finish lasts and lasts. Where the other wines have pith, this has zest.

Product Information: Rieslingfreak No.7 Clare Valley Fortified Riesling will remind you of good white port, but somehow with Riesling aromatics and flavours. There's a hint of nutty oak on the nose, supporting aromas and flavours of sultanas, caramel and butter scotch, orange peel and dried fruits. The wine is a perfect match for a sweet dessert, chocolate or a plate of cheese. Grapes for the No.7 are sourced from the family property, White Hutt, Clare Valley. The juice is partially fermented to 7-8 baume (approx. 140g/L sugar) then fortified with a neutral brandy spirit. Stored in old oak casks to develop for 2 to 4 years. The wine was bottled at three years of age, expressing many of the flavours and aromas of a good fortified Riesling. Maker: Established by John Hughes in 2009, Rieslingfreak started as a passion-project, was born from a long-running love for the Riesling variety. Today the portfolio has grown and evolved to include 19 different Riesling styles! Since the beginning, Rieslingfreak's mission has been to produce quality Rieslings that best represent both style and region. They craft Rieslings that reveal the qualities of essential South Australian wine regions, including Clare Valley, Eden Valley and Polish Hill River. It's easy to get the hang of, each of the Rieslingfreak wines is assigned a number, and the number represents both the region where the grape is grown, and the style of the Riesling in the bottle. The Rieslingfreak collection includes dry, sweet, sparkling, and fortified Riesling styles. There are not many grape varieties in the world that provides a winemaker the same level of versatility that Riesling does. To drive it home, Rieslingfreak’s Belinda Hughes, speaks to the versatility of riesling, “I believe Riesling to be the ultimate versatile variety... from dry to sweet, sparkling to fortified, there is almost nothing riesling can’t do – and do well!" Not only that, the variety has natural capability to hold elevated acid levels making it uniquely suited to delicate dry wines as well as perfectly balanced sweeter styles, and also imparts longevity and enables long-term cellaring. The other thing Riesling does well is its ability to effortless accept oak. To argue oak in Riesling, Anne Hughes, John's mum and source of Clare Valley Riesling, takes the mic. While many Australian makers see oak as an affront in riesling, playing it safe to preserve fruit purity at all costs, the reality is that oak is very traditional. “While the use of oak and wild fermentation is relatively rare in Aussie riesling, the Germans have been using oak vessels with riesling for centuries,” says Hughes. Most of the vats used at Rieslingfreak are so old, the oak flavour in the wines is barely perceptible, this subtle influence imparts a distinctive elegance and an old-world charm that truly sets their wines apart from the rest. Riesling Freak are also boundary pushing, respecting tradition, they've learned the rules to break them. While they certainly embrace the classic steely Aussie style and have paid homage to textured German styles, they go further aiming to push the boundaries of what Riesling means in this country. Anne Hughes says, "Riesling is remarkably well suited as a canvas for more exuberant expressions." The variety's high natural acidity is the key factor, that makes it perfect for oak fermentation and maturation - a vinification more commonly association to Burgundian Chardonnay. Anne explains it best, “natural preservation due to low pH and the delicacy of the base wine allows secondary characters to shine. Why can’t riesling be as textural and complex as a top-shelf barrel fermented chardonnay? Why can’t the winemaker embrace the bolder flair of Antoni Gaudi, rather than the restraint of Da Vinci in creating a riesling of great beauty?” You can find this style, that blurs the line between old and new world in Riesling No.1. Only made in the good years, in a way that distinguishes it from any other Rieslingfreak wine. This wine has been wild fermented in a large-format oak barrel, producing a Riesling with texture and unprecedented complexity; combining subtle, spicy oak notes with delicate tropical and heady floral aromas, strewn together by tight, linear acidity that will drive this wine many years into the future and definitely one for the Rieslingfreaks among us. Vineyard: At Rieslingfreak, grapes are sourced from Clare Valley, Polish Hill River and Eden Valley. Each of these regions and specific vineyards are selected based on their own individual microclimate, the history of the vineyard and the grower’s commitment to their vineyards. Their Clare Valley vineyard is the source of No.7 but also Rieslings - No.3, No.5, No.6, No.9, No.33. Situated in White Hutt and is my family vineyard, owned by Richard and Anne Hughes. This is approximately 5.8 kms north of the Clare township, and is situated 500m above sea level. On their Clare Valley property, they have five different Riesling sites. Each site has a different soil profile, where they use multiple clones on the sites. The majority of the sites have deep red clay, over limestone, providing a fruit driven style of Riesling. Nose - Porty Sultanas, Orange Peel, Butter Scotch Bouquet is straw-like and savoury, accented with orange peel, with a suggestion of nutty oak. Palate - Dried Fruits, Caramel, Zest Flavours of sultanas, caramel and butter scotch, orange peel and dried fruits Finish - Nutty Oak, Citrus Pith, Honey The sweetness is quite moderate. The phenolics and apparently high-alcohol accentuate an appealing bitterness on the finish.

Clonakilla Riesling is an unsung hero of Tim Kirk's stable of beautiful wines. Herbal with white flowers aromas with citrus and stone fruit bouquet, it has a clean, ripe fruit and zesty finish.