It disturbs me quite profoundly when I see a couple of bays of bottleshop shelving devoted to sauvignon blanc, and riesling downgraded to a miscellaneous classification of ‘other white varieties’.
Similarly when restaurant wine lists are dominated by a dozen savvies and rieslings are lucky to be mentioned.
Hey, we’re talking here about one of the world’s great white varieties, something that in any pecking order should sit alongside chardonnay and perhaps semillon.
James Halliday, perhaps THE guru of Australian wine commentators, got it right at a tasting of past vintages of Tim Adams rieslings a few years back when he commented about how outstanding and fresh they all seemed, and expressed his dismay at how highly rated sauvignon blanc was in our marketplace.
Of course, those in charge of organising the shelf space and the wine lists will plead that they’re just reflecting public tastes and demand.
All I can respond with is that the public is obviously easily hoodwinked.
I guess that one of the things drinkers are reacting to is the ease with which they can pick the grape variety that they have in the glass when they’re drinking sauvignon blanc.
And I’ll give them that, even if often the wine is made from under-ripe, overcropped fruit.
So, please give a genuinely dry lean riesling a go. You’ll probably be surprised what a good match it is for light, plain seafood such as freshly caught and grilled bream. Just go easy on the lemon.
WINE REVIEWS
Tim Adams 2018 Pinot Gris ($22): I know, I know, I’m not supposed to like pinot gris, aka pinot grigio in its more acidic Italian style, but I’ll make an exception for this beauty. It’s truly outstanding, from its slight salmon tinge through to the excellent balance of peach and pear flavours and acidity on the palate, which provides a great tasting experience.
Tyrrells 2017 Vat 63 Chardonnay Semillon ($55): This white blend often lives in the shadows of the more expensive ‘varietally purer’ Vat 1 Semillon and Vat 47 Chardonnay but it has plenty of charm in its own right, with complexity gained from the 70 per cent chardonnay component being vinified in French oak barriques. It’s made because the family loves the style. I’m definitely on their side.
WINE OF THE WEEK
Tim Adams 2018 Riesling ($22): I love this dry white’s trademark Clare Valley floral notes and the lean limey citrus characters on the palate. Tim, who these days goes under the title of director of winemaking, and his winemaker Brett Schutz are justly proud of this wine, which will mature gracefully for many, many years, especially under its screwcap.
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