2014 Maude Mt Maude Vineyard Dry Riesling
Rating Outstanding
Soaring, expressive
nose of lime, apple,
mandarin zest, dry
honey and talc. Again
that intensity in the
mouth, fruit rich yet dry,
acid drive allied to a hint
of fruit pith bringing a
super refreshing, lip-
smacking, almost
chewy quality to the
long close. Wonderful
balance and
complexity, superb.
Post reveal,
astonishingly youthful
for a 10-year-old wine,
the joy of cellaring.
2023 Felton Road Dry Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
White flowers, flower
blossom, apple skin,
evolving to lemon, an
attractive subtlety.
Youthful, fine,
classically dry
Riesling with the fruit
intensity in perfect
pitch to that dryness.
Youthful piquancy
adds freshness and
zest, a little chewiness
adding to the textural
impact. Flirts with
apricot and apricot
kernel as it opens,
wonderful sapidity on
the long, crisp finish.
2024 Monte Christo Pisa Riesling
Rating Excellent
Aromatic nose leaps
from the glass, musk,
citrus blossom, dry
honey, spice, perhaps
nuttiness too, young
and perfumed. There’s
a lightness of touch to
the palate yet an
undertow of power
bubbling underneath, a
minerally quality like
water over riverstones,
adding apple to nose &
palate as it takes on air.
Dry, racy acidity, would
be cracking with a
creamy chicken dish.
2024 Maude Mt Maude Dry Riesling
Rating Excellent
Apple and citrus to the
fore, wisps of talc and
smoke, subtlety yet it
draws me back for
more. Suppleness and
roundness to the
palate with an
underlying bony/stony
aspect, still relatively
taut and tight in terms
of fruit expression, but
wonderful length. With
air it flaunts its
dryness, adding a
bittersweet touch as
talc and flower
blossom drive the
nose.
2023 Felton Road Bannockburn Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
An intriguing hint of
funk leads, apple,
honey and a
suggestion of citrus
take charge. Honeyed
sweetness before the
racy acidity and a little
fruit-pithy phenolics
drive this to a long,
crunchy close. Lovely
flavour intensity and
depth, real texture and
backbone, grows with
air, quite lovely.
Tautness and youthful
energy more prominent
now, bodes very well
for the future.
2024 Maude Mt Maude East Block Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Floral nose, flower
petals, stony
minerality, subtle yet
engaging. In the mouth
things kick into gear
with Rose’s lime
cordial, pineapple,
pear, honey and fruit
pastille, sweetness
and richness yet great
freshness too. Lovely
chewiness on the long,
long Rose’s lime
accented, medium-
sweet finish. Great fruit
intensity, the nose
opening up now,
leaves you smiling.
2016 Maude Mt Maude Vineyard East Block Riesling
Rating Excellent
Grilled, caramelised
grapefruit, oatmeal,
honey, spiced apple. A
spritzy tingle in the
mouth, grapefruit,
lemon, a sense of cool
water and gravel.
Fascinating contrast
between that honeyed
sweetness yet tangy
piquancy, again some
fruit-pithy aspects
adding to the sapidity
and lip-smacking close.
Sweetness, yet manages
that fine balancing act
with freshness too.
2023 Pegasus Bay Riesling
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Flinty minerality,
musk, mandarin, dry
honey, nuts, quietly
draws you back again
and again. Lovely
flavour depth in the
mouth, mandarin,
apple, spices,
grapefruit with air, a
tingly quality that pairs
refreshingly with the
just off-dry close. Nice
chewiness and
structure here,
balance and
integration, give that
palate a gold star.
Lovely drinkability
now and potential too.
