"I can buy myself flowers" - florality, white flowers are often Riesling descriptors. "Say things you don’t understand" - It often asks questions I cannot answer. "I can take myself dancing" - Riesling typically dances in the mouth.
Subtly coded messages perhaps, or just me going ever so slightly bonkers; I’ll let you decide.
Do enjoy the Rieslings, though!
2022 Mora Bannockburn Dry Riesling
Rating Excellent
Fruit sweetness, ripe
fruits, a herbal note,
lime, dry honey,
gravelly minerality,
lovely and very
engaging. The palate
is quite dry, again
the lime, herb and
minerally qualities,
nectarine too, with
some fruit pithy
chewiness adding to
the texture.
Develops flower
petal florality on the
palate. Racy, and
light on its feet.
2022 Domain Road The Water Race Dry Riesling
Rating Excellent to outstanding
Super florality leads
with citrus, nectarine/
peach ripe fruits and
touches of spice.
Creamily rich palate
initially feels a little
less dry until the
acidity races in on the
back half bringing real
chewiness. Nice
flavour intensity,
echoing the nose, lime
to the fore with great
carry. The palate
crisper with time
developing appealing
lip-smacking
zestiness. Moreish.
2021 Misha’s Vineyard Lyric Central Otago Riesling
Rating Excellent
Floral notes, fine
herbs, lemony citrus,
subtlety yet rather
engaging, opening up
nicely. Richness on
the palate with a tiny
prickle on the tongue,
fruit sweetness
evident yet closes
relatively dry.
Florality again, green
apple, excellent
balance and
integration with the
backbone to see this
into the future. Great
length and draws you
in.
2022 Hawkshead Central Otago Riesling
Rating Very good to excellent
Fragrant, ripe fruits
hinting at stonefruit
and apricot, lime
citrus. A touch of
sweetness on the
medium-weight
palate mingling
honey, herbs and ripe
stonefruits while a
little fruit pith on the
back palate brings
this to a just off-dry
close. The nose
swells beautifully,
redolent of summer.
The palate fleshes
out. This is already
drinking very nicely.
2020 Misha’s Vineyard Limelight Central Otago Riesling
Rating Excellent
Delicacy to the nose,
white flowers, red
delicious apple and
ripe stonefruits
giving a drier
impression. Supple,
sweeter fruited
entry, orange citrus
(perhaps tangerine)
lending a lovely
tangy interplay with
the fruit sweetness,
adding baked apple
and nutty touches as
it opens up with a
lick of honey on the
close. Bright acidity
keeps it on its toes.
2021 Carrick Bannockburn Organic Dry Riesling
Rating Very good to excellent
Fascinating nose,
smoky, almost funky
wildness on a
backdrop of sweet
herbs, florality and a
little honeyed
influence. Quite dry,
taut palate, again that
herbal quality, hints of
musk and a stony/iron
element. Crisp, tangy,
developing a
bittersweet feel with
the addition of almond
and a saline note. The
dryness more evident
with aeration.
