2022 Varietal Winners

Top Rated: Riesling

By The Tasting Team
On sheer numbers, riesling again ranks behind only shiraz, chardonnay and cabernet as the strongest category in the country – proof again that we all ought to be drinking more of this sublime variety. The dominance of Great Southern and the Clare and Eden valleys in Australia’s top riesling stakes is complete, together putting forward more than five in every six wines in our short list. Adelaide Hills, Great Western, Henty and Tasmania share the balance. With just two inclusions in our top 40 (both from Pooley), Tasmania was the surprise dark horse that swept in from the sidelines with a convincing win for Riesling of the Year!

Find out more about riesling in our essential guide.


2020 Pooley Margaret Pooley Tribute Single Vineyard Riesling

riesling

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Leo Buring Leonay. The mention of that name is enough to get any riesling lover standing to attention. Named after winemaker and the rather awesomely monikered Leo Buring Hermann Paul Leopold Buring. Anyone that has said "Winemaking isn't a matter of life or death – it's much more important than that!" is OK by me. The wine is a singularity of limey goodness. Bickford's lime cordial, freshly squeezed lime juice and green apple sorbet with hints of Christmas lily, clover blossom, crushed quartz and lemongrass. Precise and focused with a tubular core pushed across the palate by fine, vivid acidity with an umami blush on the exit. If there was a Mount Rushmore for Aussie riesling, old Leo's smiling face would be the first to be chiseled into the granite. – Dave Brookes

*This is an edited extract from the 2022 Halliday Wine Companion, with reviews by Jane Faulkner, James Halliday, Erin Larkin, Tony Love, Ned Goodwin MW, Jeni Port and chief editor Tyson Stelzer.


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