Riesling, what's not to love?

I think it is fair to say that there are not many wine lovers that don't have an open love-fest for Riesling. What's the appeal? It does everything and does it very well. If you want a crisp, fresh and racy white to quench your thirst, Riesling will satisfy. Something mature and complex to sip and discuss over a delicious meal, Riesling will fit the bill. If you are after something sweet and unctuous that will slip down alongside a beautifully crafted dessert then Riesling will work. Want something sparkling and refreshing, Riesling can do that as well but quite often there isn't much about.

I first discovered the joy that is sparkling Riesling in Austria. There is so much happening in the wine industry of Austria and Germany that doesn't leave the country so if one has not visited then it is easy to miss out on the great wines they produce.

Peter Szigeti of Szigeti wines has an excellent sparkling Riesling amongst the 25 fizzes he makes. As expected it shows crisp apple and citrus characteristics and these are combined with hints of petrol, orange peel and savoury flavours whilst remaining fresh with well balanced acidity and a creamy mouthfeel. In other words it really works.

Whilst I was there I tried a few other sparkling which used Riesling and they were invariably all successful which begs the question why is there not more of it. I am not a winemaker but with Riesling ability to hold its acidity it can easily take another fermentation without becoming flabby so why not sparkle it up? Riesling also holds its flavours well through the fermentation and aging process.

Loopline Vineyards in Wairarapa, New Zealand also make their sparkling Riesling in the traditional method and age for at least a year or so. Showing characteristics of lemons, limes and fresh green apples with a toastiness on the palate which balances well with the minerality. 

The process doesn't take away from the flavour or the varietal characteristics so I think this is one area where the Austrians are on to something that hasn't quite crossed the seas to other great Riesling producing areas. In Australia both Skillogalee and Paulett  produce highly respected sparkling Rieslings from a classic Riesling region, wouldn't it be nice if in a few years time the summer of Riesling could be kicked off with some world-class standard sparkling Rieslings? I think I would be the first of many to say cheers to that!

Wairarapa Sparkles-Loopline, Gladstone & Joseph Ryan Vineyards

This weekend was the Wairarapa Wine Harvest Festival so being the dedicated sparkling chick that I am, I went in search of bubbles. 

There were limited bubbling options that were also limited in success. Wairarapa is better known for its Pinot Noir and Sauvignon blanc with some aromatics cropping up around the fair.

Loopline Vineyards Sparkling Riesling 2008 was the standout sparkling of the day. The fruit is sourced from the Opaki Plains in Wairarapa and is made in the traditional method with around a year on the lees in bottle after a first fermentation in stainless steel.

Pale lemon green with small fast moving bubbles and fine beading on the rim the wine looked enticing even before I got my nose into it. Crisp, green apples, fresh lemon and lime on the nose followed through into the palate with an added hit of minerality, fresh pears and honey. Crisp and refreshing with a creamy mouthfeel this was a really refreshing wine and made me wonder why we don't see more sparkling Riesling around. Delicious and impressive I would recommend anyone to hunt this one out.

Gladstone Vineyards are situated just south of Masterton in the Wairarapa region. The sparkling they make is only produced in years of higher production so it's a little bit wine lake but thankfully the wine isn't made as an afterthought. 

The 2009 is a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris the wine is vinified in stainless steel and then the second fermentation takes place traditionally in bottle with the wine averaging around 18months on its lees. With a residual sugar level of 14g per litre the wine doesn't taste sweet but instead a ripeness comes through. Pear and tropical fruit flavours combine with a crisp, refreshing acidity to create a pleasant and enjoyable sparkling wine.

Joseph Ryan produced their first sparkling wine in 2008 with  fruit from the Cliffs Vineyard in Wairarapa, a traditional method production with a blend of 60/40 Chardonnay Pinot Noir split. It hasn't really worked.

The fruit tastes under-ripe and a little bitter with a combination of green apples, hawthorns and almonds. In addition to this the wine is oxidised and the sweetness is out of kilter as if they have tried to up the dosage to cover up the flaws. This is a disappointing wine as everything just doesn't quite work. The fruit isn't ripe enough, the techniques during the vinification process aren't quite right and the dosage at the end just amplifies the faults in the wine. 

I am all for giving things another go so hopefully as the folks at Joseph Ryan work through each vintage and learn from the things that haven't worked in previous years they will produce the sort of good quality wine that is possible in Wairarapa.

Although the day had its disappointments it was a really good opportunity to try some different styles from an area not known for its bubbles and be left with a very important task to hunt out more great sparkling Rieslings.