Eden Valley Riesling Death Match: Bracket 2 – Bottle Age is Good!
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| 6 years old and still bright and fresh |
For those who haven’t read part 1, it’s probably important that you do (just so you get a feel for the context) so have a squiz here.
As highlighted yesterday, the formula here is simple – 3 very similar wines, all pitched against each other in a classic death match of vinous proportions.
In this bracket we see the heavyweights enter the ring, in the form of a few bottle aged reserve Eden Valley Rieslings fighting it out in a brawl of toast, lime and slate.
Let the bout begin!
Wine 1
Peter Lehmann ‘Wigan’ Riesling 2004 (Eden Valley, SA)
$35, Screwcap, 12.5%
$35, Screwcap, 12.5%
What a leadout! A trophy winning wine that absolutely lived up to its reputation, the Wigan was easily the best on park today. Stunning wine.
Beautiful, classic golden toast over citrus juice in a form that just sings out ‘Eden Valley’. Actually, I think it sings out Peter Lehmann too, for the ‘Margaret’ Semillon appears to carry a very similar bottle age character to it. Regardless, it’s pure and distinctive and good.
Palate is similarly wonderfully proportioned and distinctive, though perhaps not for everyone? Long palate starts with some creamy lime custard that gets toastier and weightier as the palate progresses. Lots to chew on with the contrast between creamy bottle age generosity vs severity of the citrus backbone. Epic finish. Just keeps going, lime toast resonating through the finish. Still tight. Trophy wine. 19/96
Wine 2
Penfolds ‘Reserve Bin’ Aged Release Riesling 2005 (Eden Valley, SA)
$25, Screwcap, 11.5%
Penfolds ‘Reserve Bin’ Aged Release Riesling 2005 (Eden Valley, SA)
$25, Screwcap, 11.5%
Rifling back through my notes, it looks like I’ve never been a fan of the Penfolds Rizzas, with the 08 Eden Valley Riesling getting (unconsciously) the exact same middling score when tasted last year (I’m nothing if not consistent). I think my gripe with this Penfolds line comes in its form, or general lack of it, particularly in this lineup of (older) wines.
Fleshier than the Wigan, without the definition, this is more flab than anything else with just a big blob of citrus. Palate starts with green pea but falls away pretty quickly to something quite generic and dry, if still recognisably Eden. Not alot to love here, with not enough delineation or length for a higher score.
Absolutely last place in this bout, though not necessarily a bad wine, this was simply outclassed here. 16.8/89
Wine 3
Heggies ‘Reserve’ Riesling 2004 (Eden Valley, SA)
$26, Screwcap, 12.5%
$26, Screwcap, 12.5%
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| Smack Down! |
A straw yellow wine in a sea of green, this is obviously more forward than the rest. Quite floral though. Almost Alsatian with a hint of orange rind on the nose actually, as if it suggests more palate richness. Palate is layered and long but a bit bluntly toasty with some metallics through the finish.
Interesting, if lacking the absolute finesse of the Wigan, this sure has the complexity and weight, if set in a somewhat chubbier form. Still an enjoyable drink. 17.3/91
Winner: Peter Lehmann ‘Wigan’ Riesling 2004
A winning wine that absolutely shone in this lineup. Can’t rate it more highly and would happily show this off to anyone unfamiliar with Australian wine as the perfect example of what can be achieved.
I’m buying some.
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