Nick Stock is one of Australia’s most well-known and highly-regarded wine critics. He co-owns McLaren Vale’s favourite beach front bar and restaurant the Silver Sands Beach Club and The Old Bush Inn Hotel, Willunga’s “top pub.” Read more of Nick Stock’s work over at nickstock.com.au
Riesling is a staple white wine of the South Australian summer and with the quality on offer it is no wonder this wine has a special place in the hearts of local wine lovers. We power through dozen after dozen down at Silver Sands Beach Club and in readiness for the summer season I’ve tasted through them all to find the best on offer from the latest 2024 vintage.
A recent gig as Chair of Judges at the Clare Valley Wine Show combined with a comprehensive tasting of the Eden Valley 2024 riesling vintage has me excited about the quality and stylistic diversity of wines that await us. We are spoiled to have these two regions on our doorstep delivering a bounty of such reliably great riesling in such distinctive styles.
Now I love, drink and collect riesling from both the Clare and Eden Valleys and I definitely have my go-to producers. The best makers work hard in the vineyard and know exactly what to do (and not to do) in the winery and deliver really consistent quality. Vintages tend to bend the style of the wines they make toward richness (warm years) or elegance (cool years) but the quality of the best producers remains very constant.
The Clare Valley has many smaller sub-regional pockets, the most famous being the Watervale and the Polish Hill River areas. Eden Valley is similarly detailed with vineyards around the township itself, over in the cool Flaxman Valley, up in High Eden and so on. In terms of overall wine styles though, Clare Valley riesling has a more fleshy and amplified lime citrus drive and Eden Valley riesling is more delicate, more fragrant and bends more toward yellow citrus fruits.
The top riesling of this year’s Clare Valley Wine Show is the 2024 Penna Lane from Watervale and this wine won a trio of trophies – Best Riesling 2024 Vintage, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Best Wine of Show. It’s an each-way bet in terms of drinking; mouth-wateringly more-ish now yet capable of cellaring well into the 2030’s. It won the judges’ support with thrilling intensity and seemingly endless depth of refreshing flavours.
My other picks from the Clare Valley 2024 vintage include Pikes The Merle & Traditionale, Paulett’s Polish Hill River, Jim Barry Lodge Hill & Watervale, Kenny Wine Polish Hill River, Naked Run Place in Time Sevenhill (Steve Baraglia’s long distance runner is held back and cellared for four-to-five years before release so you’ll have to pop a note in the 2029 diary for this one) and both O’Leary Walker’s Polish Hill River and Watervale bottlings.
In Eden Valley the top 2024 riesling is the Rieslingfreak No.12 which is a single parcel that produces a very distinctive spiced edge to the nose and captivatingly savoury shades of riesling. The palate is super intense with tight lemon and pink grapefruit citrus fruits and a laser-like, piercingly long thread of acidity that holds the flavours super long.
My other picks from the Eden Valley are Dandelion Vineyards Wonderland, Elderton, Flaxman Estate, Gatt High Eden, Hatch Flaxman Valley, both Henschke Julius and Peggy’s Hill, Sons of Eden Freya, Leo Buring Leonay and the regional Leo Buring Eden Valley 2024 bottling (top value). These are all wines that you will enjoy drinking through the warmer months ahead and, if you have the foresight to tuck some away, these will also pay handy dividends in the cellar.
Did somebody say riesling?
Nick
Have a glass of…
Rieslingfreak Riesling Valley No. 12 2024
A new vineyard for this producer that has delivered a style that is one for the real riesling aficionados and thrill seekers out there. Piercing intensity, mouth-watering fresh lemon and grapefruit citrus fruit flavours and a sure-fire cellaring option. Intensity is dialled right up. Best from 2029.
Sons of Eden Freya Eden Valley Riesling 2024
Super fine aromas of lemon and crushed stone – really classic Eden Valley characters here – there’s a bright fragrant edge too. Complex, pure and packed with primary fruit, the sleek and seamless palate is a real highlight. This has appeal now and will age so well. Drink or hold.
Pewsey Vale Vineyard Estate Riesling 2024
Such bright and fresh aromas of lemon and lemon zest with a subtly stony and spicy element in the mix too. The purity is a real highlight. On the palate this has a succulent stance with impressively fresh and lively lemon citrus fruits at the centre. Impressive drive and mouth-watering resolve. Drink or hold.
Penna Lane Watervale Riesling 2024
An each-way bet for immediate drinking or patient cellaring, I cannot resist the juicy and zesty lime citrus fruits this riesling emanates. Smoothly toned textures and bracingly fresh acidity lighting up the finish. Rarely is a wine as drinkable as this. Multi-trophy winner at the Clare Wine Show.
Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling 2024
A serial standout from a site that sits right up at 480m above sea level. This harnesses power and intensity of fruit with structural fortitude, producing riesling that is refined, highly concentrated and pure. Taut lime citrus fruits run seemingly endless into the long, bracingly fresh finish. Drink or hold.
Paulett’s Polish Hill River Riesling 2024
This family-owned and operated winery has a prime location overlooking the Polish Hill River valley and is one of the producers that leads and defines the style of this sub-region. Turbo-charged lime and wet stony mineral characters are so distinctive and this packs impressive intensity of fresh fruit. Drink or hold.
