A nice balance this month, roughly equal parts domestic and exotic, plus a save-the-date for some fun on the horizon. We’ll start with that, shall we? It’s Riesling Downunder 2018, it’s happening next Feb, and you have to be there. In other Riesling news, Frankland Estate’s original experimental Riesling off Isolation Ridge, 2014 Alter Weg, is on its way – and we also have the beguilingly aromatic 2016 wine from those old, biodynamic vines of TWR in Marlborough.
On the new-release front, Paul Scorpo’s unleashed Bestia – a skin-contact Pinot Grigio tradizionale – Matt Harrop’s best-yet Minnow is out, as is Nick Farr’s first ’16 white in the comely shape of the Farr Rising Chardonnay. Elsewhere, Stefano Lubiana has once again got Tyson Stelzer bubbling over with excitement in the 2017 Australian Sparkling Report, while Tim Shand of Punt Road has released a killer Cab from 2015, a little ahead of the launch of Vanya Cullen’s superb Diana Madeline from the same vintage.
Looking to Europe, there’s marvellous Meursault pouring in from Domaine Matrot and pink purity from from Hattingley Valley and Pierre Amadieu. Grüner news comes in the guise of Ingrid Groiss and Stadt Krems, plus we have another bite of that delicious cherry that is Mosel 2015. Dr Loosen’s Grosses Gewächs Rieslings are not to be missed.
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