Capital Wines ‘The Whip’ Riesling 2010 (Canberra district)
11.2%, Screwcap, $18
Drink: Now – 2013+
Source: Sample
www.capitalwines.com.au

Ohh Riesling. The moment I unscrewed this wee baby I felt more comfortable, like an old friend had turned up at the pub. Riesling does that you see, it just smells right. Vinous right, with a purity of absolute grapiness that you can’t deny, a purity of expression that reminds you exactly why Riesling is the king of all grapes (or at least I think so).

This, suitably, has plenty of said grapiness. On the nose it sings with the lifted floral muskiness that Canberra Riesling always shows, a lightly candied aroma of sweet green grapes and a hint of brine. Very nice. The palate follows with a dominant sour acid combination, ala sour lime Warheads (90’s memories), some chalky phenolics and more sherbety lime sweetness (just a hint of residual sugar in there?). Whilst it’s not strictly a particularly intense wine, the balance is spot on, as is the drinkability, which was proved by the fact that I had woofed down two glasses of this before you could say ‘lolly gobble bliss bomb’ (love the 90s).

Nice wine, nice price, nice work. Riesling, you’ve done it again. 17.8/92