Raising Riesling – Everything Happens for a Riesling
Another year and another fabulous afternoon of tasting Great Southern Riesling at this years Raising Riesling event at the Perth Royal Yacht Club. There’s something about heading along to a yacht club and sipping on Riesling all afternoon that has a certain appeal. I went dressed in nautical attire with a navy and white stripped dress and matching shoes so it’s safe to say I was in the boats & wine mood!
Firstly I want to say a big thanks to Jo Bradbury and the Great Southern Wine Producers for inviting me and my Riesling buddy @nomief along. It’s safe to say from the below Facebook Live video that we had a grand old-time. And yes the video was recorded at the end of the afternoon, in case you couldn’t guess from our rather tipsy video work 😉
It was great to see many familiar wineries at the event alongside some new ones. Great Southern hospitality is always top-notch which is why we were there right from when the gates opened and were virtually the last ones to leave. Many great conversations throughout the 4-7pm event!
So what were the stand outs? Well we actually didn’t get around all the exhibitors, which is a pity – we just couldn’t help but have good old chats with everyone. So from the ones we did try these were some of my favourites:
Abbey Creek
I always enjoy a tasting with Abbey Creek, the couple behind this winery are just so lovely and they make some darn awesome wine. It was the 2016 and 2011 that stole the show for me.
Alkoomi Wines
If you follow along my Facebook page then you probably already know I am a fan of Alkoomi. The team had all 3 of their 2016 Rieslings on show and despite having tried these already, I naturally had to refresh my memory. It’s safe to say I still have a big crush on the 2016 Melaleuca!
Castelli Estate
It’s always a pleasure bumping into Castelli Estate as it brings back fond memories of our visit to Denmark. It was great to see Castelli have made a sparkling Riesling – definitely something interesting for the palate!
Estate 807
Again another winery I have tasted from, but not a lot of and I lovvvved the 2012 Riesling from these guys. So much so, I ended up going halves in a case with my friend. We weren’t able to buy a full case due to limited quantities, so we ending up getting 4 x 2012 Riesling, 4 x 2014 and 4 x 2015. Plus because we ordered the show special we both got a Wine Dogs 2017 calendar which made my day! Estate 807’s dog is the poster pup for February!
Ferngrove Wines
Again another old favourite – but hey it’s always good to remind your palate just how good a wine is! It was also interesting to see Ferngrove had their ‘off-dry’ Riesling for tasting – this is a slightly sweeter style which I know many people would really enjoy.
Gilberts Wines
You always have a good laugh with the guys from Gilberts Wines. It was great to see a 2010, 2013 and 2016 line-up of Riesling to try from these guys. To pick a favourite between the three is near impossible – they were all drinking lovely!
Howard Park
I’ve always been a big fan of Howard Park, and whenever I see their Riesling it takes me back to my Dubai days when I use to sell it in Le Clos. We tried the 2016, 2015 and 2011 and I have to admit I am just a bit partial to the 2016 – so fresh and lively!
Poacher’s Ridge
This is a new one for me and it was fab to see an older vintage to try – a 2007 which was tasting absolutely insane. If you love those ages Riesling characteristics then get this in your glass asap. I also really enjoyed the bone dry 2016 Riesling.
Silverstream Wines
Silverstream have made a big emergence onto the market this year, and I’m loving it! Plus so is the rest of WA with the Silverstream 2012 Riesling receiving a Gold Award and two trophies at the 2016 WA Wine Awards. Winery owner, Tony Ruse has said the following about their 2012 vintage:
We attribute the success of the 2012 Riesling to a combination of site selection, building soil biology to enhance healthy plants, all resulting in quality fruit. This vintage has a wonderful balance of lemon lime flavours and mineral acidity.”
Silverstream had their 2012 available to try at the event alongside their 2012 late picked Riesling which was more on the sweeter side.
Singlefile
It was the 2011 Riesling that stole the show for me from the Singlefile range – I just about went back for seconds! If you get a chance, make sure to visit the Singlefile cellar door in Denmark – it’s a beauty!
Swinney
Another fave and it’s safe to say I can never walk past a bottle of their Riesling, Pinot Gris & Gewürztraminer blend without having a swig. The 2016 Riesling also went down a treat.
Trevelen Farm
These guys amazed me! They had both a 2002 and 2005 Riesling and both of these still had so much freshness in them – I could hardly believe it! If you want a beautiful aged Riesling, look these guys up stat!
West Cape Howe
To be honest I haven’t had many of the West Cape Howe WCH wines so it was a good chance to get stuck into their Rieslings and I have to admit I am looking forward to trying them again on a fresh palate.
There were also tasty offerings from 3 Drops, Castle Rock, Frankland Estate, Larry Cherubino, Orange Tractor, Plantagenet, Rising Star, Rockcliffe and Zarephath. I wish I had the stamina and time to try everything, but alas there is always tomorrow and I have a feeling another Great Southern trip should be on the cards for 2017!
If you love Riesling and the Great Southern then I suggest you make sure Raising Riesling 2017 is on your calendar. For dates and upcoming events make sure to follow the Raising Riesling and Great Southern Wine Producers Facebook pages.
