2011 Riesling $30
;)
2011 was a challenging year - with our annual rainfall falling in the 3 months September, October and November 2010. However, with careful management and our Biodynamic farming practices, we were able to keep the Lark Hill Vineyard clean and disease free without chemical inputs.
A cool Summer and mild Autumn resulted in a return to our normal long-term average heat summation, giving delicate flavours, vibrant acidity and a lower final alcohol.
This Riesling can be enjoyed whilst young and fresh, or cellared for years to come.
Reviews:
Nick Stock; Good Wine Guide 2012
Lark Hill's Riesling is a fragrant, restrained and mineral-flecked wine, with plenty of spice and perfume, sweet white floras, some fresh-cut lime citrus and apple blossom. The palate's super-dry; really crisp and tangy lime and green apple flavours run in elegant shape. Great drive and balance here.
93 Points
"Seriously good nose on this, lime, honeysuckle, citrus rind, attractive florals and a touch of wet stone minerality. The palate is all about concentrated limes, some grapefruity tang and really precise and long acids on the dry finish. One for the long haul if you have space in the cellar."
So, I am going to say nice things again about another Lark Hill wine. This time their 2011 Riesling. It is a departure from the dominant Australian Clare Valley/Eden Valley Riesling style, in that it has an almost outlandish vibrancy of citrus flavour. The colour of their 2011 is somewhere between water and lemon green. On the nose, a clean and lively fragrance of apples, pears, lemon zest and green stone fruits. On the palate, high acidity, medium length, lime, a touch of petillance and spices. What makes this wine different and worth tasting is that combination of spices with intensely flavoured lemon and lime notes. 87 points.
Good Drop (Jesse Lewis)
2011 Riesling
It always seems like a privilege to taste a Lark Hill wine seeing as they’re not readily available in Western Australia. In addition, most of the Australian Rieslings I taste are from Great Southern or Clare or Eden, so it’s always nice to try one from a bit further east. The last Lark Hill wine I tasted (Viognier) was unfortunately most likely suffering from bottle shock/jetlag/DVT, so I purposely left this Riesling to settle.
Gentle wisps of green apple, lemon peel and slate communicate what is a very pristine, serene style of Riesling. In the mouth, it is both crystalline and focussed; as if sucking on a piece of quartz that has been splashed with lime juice. Complexity is not the focus here, as is often the case with good Riesling. Flavours of Granny Smith and citrus linger in tandem with acidity that is striking, but not oppressive. Interestingly, I’ve tasted green apple in all four Lark Hill whites that I have tasted.
I really don’t see the need to cellar this wine. I think any more bottle age would just distract from its purity. That said, a ten year old example would be a completely different wine with its own merits. Classic Riesling pairings – Thai, fish, oysters. An effortless strike in the net for the underdog 2011 vintage.
Excellent