Xabregas Mount Barker Riesling 2014

Essential stats: pH 3.08, TA 7.8g/L, RS 4.2g/L.

There’s a broadness in these 2014 Great Southern Rieslings that I’m not enamoured with. A warm year, producing chunky, pineappley wines – or alternatively some lean, early-picked examples.

This sits in the middle. Green straw coloured, this has a tight lemon lime palate that is driven by acidity, a dash of sherbet fruit sweetness over a firm, lemon grapefruit palate. It’s not hard-edged acidity, but it’s a struggle to see much beyond simple structure and a little sugar to finish. The length is great, but the sweet and sour style just doesn’t feel right this vintage.

I think this will look much better with some age. It may well just broaden out and fall over, but that acidity suggests against that. Hold.

Details: 12.7%, Screwcap, $23
Tasted: May 2015 (sample)
Best drinking: 2018-2025?
Score: 16.8/20, 89/100
Would I buy it? Not yet.
Buy online: Xabregas website

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About me – Andrew Graham

At 18, I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, slogging through physics and chemistry, so a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say, I discovered wine, and my life evolved with a unique dual focus - wine and environment.

Twenty years later and I spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.

I now judge at wine shows around the world, sit on the Australian Wine List of the Year awards panel and was once a Wine Journalism Young Gun (but baby that was years ago).

Currently, I write features for a variety of publications including National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS, plus I'm a former Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert.

In 2019 and 2020 I was voted in the Top 30 Best Wine Critics in The World, and in my spare time, I'm a sucker for punishment and run trail ultra marathons, much to the delight of my long-suffering family. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here
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Xabregas Mount Barker Riesling 2014