The Victorian Grampians are renowned for their rugged landscape and pristine environs, and while I wouldn’t use the word rugged when describing a Riesling, pristine certainly fits the bill. Light straw in colour it explodes with potent aromatic notes of lime and grilled lemon with lively citrus and green apple on the palate. With a nice level of mineral dryness the balance between sweetness and acidity give this a nice lift and make it a wonderful companion to food. With 95 points from James Halliday (the authority on these things) under it's belt this is perfect spring time drinking.
Awards and Accolades
2014 Vintage:
95 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion "Light straw-green; immensely attractive, already with an abundance of varietal fruit on show in a grapefruit/lime spectrum, yet is so light on its feet that it's difficult to decide whether it is just fruit sweetness or whether there's a dab of residual sugar; the balance is such that endeavouring to decide is only of academic interest."
GOLD - Sydney International 2014. Judges' Comments:
About the Winery
The abandoned mineshaft at our vineyard in Ararat will forever commemorate the fortunate discovery of the Canton Lead, one of the largest shallow alluvial goldfields in history. It was serendipitously discovered in 1857 by 700 southern Chinese miners who stopped in the area to replenish their water supplies, and triggered the beginning of the great Ararat Rush. After the demise of the gold rush in 1858, two Frenchmen, Messrs. Blampied and Trouette, planted vines in the region at Great Western. Shortly after, Joseph and Henry Best also established vineyards there, using ex-miners to dig underground drives to house the wines. In this wine village of Great Western, the sparkling wine industry of Australia was born. Over the years several wine growers followed in Best’s footsteps and the district continued to flourish. In 1970, the McRae family planted the first Montara vineyards on the eastern slopes of Mount Chalambar, a site chosen for its frost-free location. The inaugural Montara vintages were released in 1977. Today the Grampians is one of Australia’s most historic wine regions, with 2013 marking 150 years of winemaking across a wide range of varieties and styles.
