Any roll call of Australia’s great Riesling producing regions would include the big three – Clare Valley, Eden Valley and Great Southern (Western Australia). Beyond that, it gets rather thin on the ground. Sure, there’s some good Rieslings coming out of Tasmania and the odd good wine from the Adelaide Hills. Then there’s Henty, a little known region not far from the South Australian border in the south-west of Victoria.
Henty is a cool region with a strong maritime influence. Crawford River, founded in 1975, is the region’s pioneer. Riesling aficionados will know the name Crawford River, for it is one of Australia’s ‘grande marques’ when it comes to the Riesling grape, fashioning powerful yet delicate long-lived wines.
The challenging 2011 vintage exemplifies the quality of the site from which Crawford River Riesling is farmed, as well as the skilled hand at work in producing the wine. Although it weighs in at a modest 11.5% ABV, there is considerable restrained power, and a complex array of flavours including lemon peel, mandarin and apple blossom. It is a captivating wine that delivers plenty of pleasure now, but should evolve very well in bottle.
Producer: Crawford River
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2011
Region: Henty, Victoria
ABV: 11.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $39.99
Date tasted: 15 July 2012
Tasting Note:
Pale silvery lemon. Lifted and fragrant nose of Granny Smith apples, lemon peel, fresh grass. Dry, medium bodied, although the palate is quite delicate there is a sense of restrained power, excellent fruit intensity; lemon sherbet, mandarin/tangerine, vibrant mouth tingling acidity. While young, the wine is far from austere. Will develop well, but this is a wine that is already delivering plenty of pleasure, especially for Riesling nuts!
Score: 18/20
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