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Winner Details

 

New World: Riesling


2015: Gold 2 Silver 5 Bronze 6 Commended 12
2014: Gold 2 Silver 9 Bronze 3 Commended 5

Sommeliers love Riesling the way that Nigel Farage loves winding up the Tories. The problem is that, as with the ironically initialled leader of UKIP, not all the public appreciate what it stands for. And because Riesling is not an easy sell, this inevitably limits the number of places it can get on the Gold List. So two Golds and 11 other medals was a decent effort.

Another limiting factor is quality. While Australia seems to be quite confident with the grape (and has a reasonably consistent style) the rest of the New World’s efforts are patchier. New Zealand, in particular, seems to be really struggling with the variety.

 

From The Tasting Teams


‘Riesling is a terroir-driven grape variety and there were some good examples from Australia. There was a diversity of styles, and the balance was good.’ Andrea Fasan, La Petite Maison

‘There’s nice acidity here, that will match with any creamy dishes – and also Asian cuisine.’ Richard Brookes, Caroline Catering

‘The Kiwi wines were all over the place stylistically. They had no idea of what they wanted to do. They fell between the austerity of Australian styles and the fruitier Germanic styles. They should make good Riesling. The climate is right.’ Tom Forrest, team leader

‘With the exchange rate where it is, the prices from Australia were amazing really.’ Gustavo Medina, Rex Whistler Restaurant

‘There was not much from New Zealand that would make you point a customer towards it.’ Giancarlo Cuccuru, The Gilbert Scott

‘If you want to push Riesling, it has to be by the glass, so you have to get behind the variety. Also, you should never have one Riesling on your list, you need different styles, dry and sweet, to meet different customer expectations.’ Maria Rodriguez, consultant sommelier

Award winners

Found 25 wines

New World: Riesling

Best's, Great Western, Riesling 2012, Victoria, Australia

Gold medal winner

What a difference a year makes. 2014 saw the 2011 vintage of this wine pick up a Bronze, while this year the 2012 sashays on to the Gold List. ‘More of an Alsace style, with a rich fruit palate, lemon citrus and good acidity,’ noted Nigel Sutcliffe of Truffle Hunting, while Gustavo Medina of Rex Whistler Restaurant said: ‘Nice balance of acidity and mineral, a palate of tropical and stone fruits with a long finish.’ 'Great by the glass, will age nicely, and my top match would be lightly fried abalone fritter in Japanese breadcrumbs,' said consultant Michael Harrison.

£12.20 Bibendum

Mansion House Bay, Single Vineyard, Riesling 2014, Marlborough, New Zealand

Gold medal winner

Letting the rich, vibrant fruit take the lead, Mansion House Bay has pulled off a delicate balancing act with the lively acidity to rise to the top. ‘Ripe apple blossom aromas, fresh apple juice flavours and crisp appley acidity with some floral perfume. Dry style with a chalky finish,’ said team leader Tom Forrest, with Giancarlo Cuccuru of The Gilbert Scott adding: ‘Lime, melon, slightly floral freshness.' Simone Fadda of Roka noted 'Fresh white peach, good acidity and citrus notes.' Match with Asian dishes.

£9.65 Enotria&Coe

Chateau Ste Michelle, Columbia Valley, Riesling 2013, Washington State, USA

Silver medal winner

Attractive and layered, this is more in the Germanic style of Riesling, with soft buttered apple and peach fruit notes. Consultant Anne Krebielh MW said: 'The residual sugar is very well judged, it's textured with great backbone. Lovely lime acidity, it finishes dry. Good value.'

£8.43 Enotria&Coe

Accolade Wines, Bay of Fires, Riesling 2014, Tasmania, Australia

Silver medal winner

‘Lime cordial nose, hard peach with a splash of mandarin on the palate, well poised with racy elegance,’ said team leader Angela Reddin, while Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth noted: ‘Peach and nuts on the nose; dry, good minerality on a clean palate.’

£10.50 Matthew Clark

Spioenkop, Riesling 2012, Elgin, South Africa

Silver medal winner

Mike Best of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust found ‘interesting aromatics, good complexity, pronounced flavour with high acidity and freshness’, while consultant sommelier Maria Rodriguez noted: ‘Ripe grapefruit aromas, hints of toasted nuts on the finish, with integrated acidity and good undertones of honey.’

£13.40 Boutinot

Lethbridge, Dr Nadeson, Riesling 2012, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Silver medal winner

‘A little shy on the nose, but really comes through with a full-textured palate, developing beautifully through the finish,’ said an impressed Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering, with La Petite Maison’s Andrea Fasan adding: ‘Terroir-driven, smoky, austere character with long, persistent mineral and juicy fruit notes.’

£14.50 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Pikes, Hills & Valleys, Riesling 2014, Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia

Silver medal winner

‘Very aromatic nose, full-bodied and rich style with plenty of ripe stone fruits and good acidity,’ began Alejandro Icart of Fera at Claridge’s, with The Ritz Hotel’s Jonathan Kleeman agreeing: ‘Classic Aussie style, light apple notes with lime citrus and some good persistence.’

£9.88 Majestic Commercial

Chateau Montelena, Potter Valley, Riesling 2013, Napa Valley, California, USA

Bronze medal winner

‘Tropical fruit nose, with pineapple, ripe apricots and honey notes,’ began the Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s Mike Best, continuing: ‘Medium-dry with refreshing acidity and good complexity, a high-class example. Very food-friendly.’ ‘Effortless elegance, with candied mandarin orange fruit in balance with acid and mineral,’ added team leader Simon Woods.

£17.20 Bancroft Wines

Peter Lehmann, Wigan, Riesling 2009, Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia

Bronze medal winner

‘Very Aussie nose of lime, kerosene and beeswax, showing some development on the palate,’ began team leader Angela Reddin, continuing: ‘Quite classic, with great length and a lip-smacking finish.’

£11.25 Liberty Wines

Deakin Estate, Riesling 2014, Victoria, Australia

Bronze medal winner

‘An attractive, fruit-driven style, with an appealing, smoky nose and lively, balanced acidity,’ said Richard Brooks of Caroline Catering, with Andrea Fasan of La Petite Maison noting: ‘Linear, persistent, with a clean, poised palate and long, polished finish.’

£6.45 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Undurraga, TH, Terroir Hunter, Riesling 2013, San Antonio Valley, Chile

Bronze medal winner

‘Bright and very zesty, clean with good citrus character, ticks all the boxes,’ said the Wine &NSpirit Education Trust’s Mike Best, with team leader Simon Woods adding: ‘Lovely herbal notes to its tart, mineral restraint, almost Alsace-like, food-friendly with long, fine structure.’

£12.00 González Byass

Skillogalee, Riesling 2013, Clare Valley, South Australia, Australia

Bronze medal winner

‘Has personality, with smoky flint mineral on the nose and a subtle, smoky palate,’ began Nigel Sutcliffe of Truffle Hunting, with Caroline Catering’s Richard Brooks adding: ‘Very zingy on the palate, but all in harmony. Give it some time, but it’s a well-made wine.’

£11.17 Enotria&Coe

Accolade Wines, Waipara Hills, Riesling 2014, Waipara Valley, New Zealand

Bronze medal winner

‘Great buy for the adoring fan,’ began Sarah Riddle of Sketch, continuing: ‘Elegantly aromatic, off-dry, spiced and floral Riesling.’ ‘Stony mineral apple flavours with ripe notes and a fresh lime finish,’ added team leader Tom Forrest.

£8.76 Matthew Clark

Charles Smith, Kung Fu Girl, Riesling 2013, Washington State , USA

Commended medal winner

£10.89 Bibendum

Spy Valley, Riesling 2013, Marlborough , New Zealand

Commended medal winner

£11.07 Bibendum

Magpie Estate, Rag & Bone, Riesling 2014, Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia

Commended medal winner

£7.90 Boutinot

Mission Estate, Riesling 2013, Hawkes Bay , New Zealand

Commended medal winner

Kim Crawford, Dry Riesling 2011, Marlborough , New Zealand

Commended medal winner

£9.00 Liberty Wines

Trefethen, Riesling 2013, Napa Valley, California, USA

Commended medal winner

Framingham, Classic Riesling 2012, Marlborough , New Zealand

Commended medal winner

Chateau Ste Michelle, Eroica, Riesling 2013, Washington State , USA

Commended medal winner

£14.78 Enotria&Coe

Ceres, Composition, Riesling 2014, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand

Commended medal winner

£14.32 Matthew Clark

Falernia, Riesling 2013, Elqui Valley, Chile

Commended medal winner

£7.72 Enotria&Coe

Cherubino, Porongurup, Riesling 2011, Great Southern, Western Australia, Australia

Commended medal winner

Dandelion Vineyards, Wonderland of the Eden Valley, Riesling 2014, Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia

Commended medal winner

£30.00 Liberty Wines