2010 KANTA RIESLING - FISTFUL OF STEEL

Few would argue that Riesling vies with Chardonnay as the greatest white grape in the wine world. It is one of Australia’s foundation grape varieties, producing long-live citrus endowed wines in the Clare and Eden Valleys and in Western Australia’s Great Southern region. It is fair to say that there is an Australian style of Riesling that differentiates them from their Alsatian, German and Austrian counterparts.

The notion of a German producer, not just any German producer, but the great Egon Müller known for his stunning Scharzhofberger Rieslings, making wine in Australia is bound to pique the interest of any Riesling lover. For several years, Müller, in conjunction with Adelaide wine retailer Michael Andrewartha, has bottled an Adelaide Hills Riesling under the label Kanta.

By and large, Kanta is a wine that has been met with gentle praise rather than rapturous acclaim. In terms of winemaking, it eschews some of the conventional rules when it comes to Australian Riesling. The wine undergoes natural fermentation and spends an extended time on lees.

The 2010 vintage saw the fruit source for this wine move from Balhannah to Echunga. In this taster’s opine, the wine is definitely on the right track, and this particular vintage of Kanta could well have a fine life ahead of it. With Kanta, we expect textural weight due to extended lees aging and perhaps a touch of funk. What marks out the 2010 Kanta is its very steely, ‘cuts like a knife’ attitude on both the nose and the palate. One should emphasise that steeliness comes not with austerity, but in a lively, come and drink me way. For the Riesling-lover, there’s a lot to like here, and the wine should develop very well in bottle.

2010 RIESLING
Producer: Kanta
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2010
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $26.00
Date tasted: 4 January 2013

Tasting Note:
Very pale silvery yellow. Alluring nose of grapefruit/lemon citrus, steely. Dry, medium bodied, plenty of drive and ‘cut and thrust, there’s a real steely tension here, but not in an austere way. Grapefruit and lemon citrus shows through on the palate. Lovely balance of texture, mouthfeel and cleansing acidity. A Riesling-lover’s wine. Should develop very well.
Score: 17+/20