Vintage
2023
ABV
11.5%
Wine Type
White
Wine Style
Still
Wine Description
The 2012 was the inaugural wine of this style from Best’s and is reflective of the way Riesling was made here in the 1970s. The aromatic Riesling juice is given extended skin contact then wild fermented in a large oak Foudre (barrel), made by the Schneckenleitner family in Austria. The wine exhibits both the complexities of a barrel ferment and spontaneous fermentation without the overt oak flavour, due to the large size and subtlety of the Foudre.
This wine is a representation of another facet of Riesling’s charms. The wine is medium bodied with intense fruit flavours that are balanced with lemon rind phenolics and crunchy green apple acidity.
Accolades
James Suckling – Ned Goodwin, Jan 2024
Australian riesling can be challenging for those accustomed to the juicier, more elegant Germanic versions. Yet this is a noble exception that I encourage both fans and nay sayers to buy. Fermented wild in a large Austrian foudre (oversized barrel) after some skin contact, the wine is succulent with just enough textural complexity rather than dryness for the sake of it.
The acidity is palpable but gentle. If only more vintners made riesling like this. Notes of quince, tarte tatin, apricot pith, citrus and tonic, yet the weight on the palate is generous rather than citric and simple. A fine, beautifully poised and immaculately made wine that is approachable now but with enough stuffing to age well across the mid-term. Exceptional value to boot.
Drink or hold. Rating: 95 points
Winemaker's Bio
Hailing from the NSW cool- climate wine region of Orange, Jacob began working in vineyards from the age of 14. He moved to Sydney to begin an electrical apprenticeship before returning home, where he was offered a maintenance position at Phillip Shaw Wines. After a few months, he joined the vintage team for the 2016 harvest and instantly fell in love with the industry. He worked a further five vintages with Phillip Shaw Wines under the tutelage of Nadja Wallington and the Shaw Family. Completing his degree in Oenology, Jacob spent a vintage in California’s Sonoma Coast, before joining Best’s Great Western in 2021.
