TRIMBACH Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling, Ribeauville

This stunning Riesling from the West is all limes and citrus with great length and depth of flavour. The only problem with this wine is there is never enough to go around.

The Rockford Eden Valley Riesling 2023 is a testament to the unique terroir of the Eden Valley, high in the Barossa Ranges. This region, punctuated by ancient Red Gums and shallow, rocky soils, produces Riesling with remarkable mineral purity. The vine roots push through cracks in the submerged rock in search of water and scarce nutrients, resulting in a wine that reflects the power and character of the land. Rockford’s commitment to quality shines through in this wine. The 2023 vintage is crafted with complexity, palate weight, and softness, which are achieved by allowing the wine to age in the cellar for one or two years before release. The resulting Riesling offers a balance of fresh fruit and honeyed richness, with a subtle chalky grip and a finish laced with lime, pear, and honey. As noted by Gary Walsh from The Wine Front, it is a flavoursome and generous wine that should be enjoyed young but can also develop further with careful aging. Rockford Wines is a beloved name in the Barossa Valley, founded by Robert O'Callaghan in the 1980s. Known for its commitment to traditional winemaking methods and small-scale, hands-on practices, Rockford has become synonymous with quality and craftsmanship. The winery was established with a vision to preserve the best of the traditional Australian wine trade while fostering strong relationships with local growers. Robert’s deep connections with the community and his emphasis on personal relationships with grape growers have helped Rockford remain a leader in the Barossa Valley. The winery's commitment to using time-honoured methods, such as basket pressing and open-topped slate fermenters, ensures that each wine reflects the unique terroir of the Barossa. Rockford's wines are crafted with passion and precision, capturing the true essence of the region in every bottle. At Rockford, winemaking is about more than just producing exceptional wine—it's about connection, community, and tradition. The winery’s philosophy revolves around embracing the region’s rich history while looking forward to a sustainable future. Rockford works closely with independent grape growers in various Barossa subregions, ensuring that each vineyard’s unique soil, climate, and altitude contribute to the distinct characteristics of their wines. This dedication to traditional winemaking methods—using tools and techniques passed down through generations—ensures that each bottle of Rockford wine is a true expression of the Barossa terroir. With a focus on small-scale production, Rockford continues to create wines that are as much about the people behind the bottle as the land from which they come. NOSE Chamomile, Honey, Lime The nose is complex and inviting, with aromas of chamomile and delicate floral notes. A hint of honey adds richness, while lime and yuzu provide a fresh, zesty edge that draws you in. PALATE Pineapple, Pear, Dried Dates The palate is full of generous, ripe fruit flavours, including fresh pineapple, pear, and dried dates. The wine has a wonderful balance of richness and freshness, with subtle notes of lavender and a hint of chalky grip that adds texture. FINISH Long, Lime, Honey The finish is long and harmonious, with the lime and honey notes lingering delicately on the palate, making for a refreshing and satisfying conclusion.

Graacher Himmelreich is a renowned vineyard that borders the southern edge of its more famous neighbour Wehlener Sonnenuhr. The Auslese examples typically show grapefruit citrus and green apple aromas, with honeyed overtones, wonderful density and pronounced minerality carried along by signature Mosel racy acidity.

For John Hughes, the attraction to Riesling is all encompassing. Growing up on a small vineyard in the Clare Valley, and going on to work with some of the brightest Riesling makers in the country before launching his own venture, John is never far away from his beloved grape. John makes classic Australian styles from carefully selected vineyards with an emphasis on purity and site reflection, as well as German-inspired expressions that balance acidity and sugar with singular precision.

Clemens Hill was founded over 20 years ago in a remarkable setting within the bucolic Coal River Valley. The wines of Clemens Hill are and will always be, an expression of the whims of nature inexorably bound to the wisdom of winemaking. Indeed, the pursuit of a vinous expression of place takes precedence over the pursuit of accolades, but perhaps as a result of that philosophy, over time the wines have become festooned with prizes and accolades. Clemens Hill vineyard nestles into the north-east facing slopes of the ancient glacial carving that is the Coal River Valley. It sits just 75m above sea level and is cooled by maritime valley breezes while capturing the bright crystalline sun. It enjoys both shelter and exposure. Rainfall is a capricious 500mm per annum, so it is supplemented with irrigation in times of stress. Loaded with citrus, melon and subtle gingery spice on the nose. Persistent long and lingering citrus flavours – grapefruit, lime, lemon, orange zest – but with a softness seldom seen in youthful Riesling.

For John Hughes, the attraction to Riesling is all encompassing. Growing up on a small vineyard in the Clare Valley, and going on to work with some of the brightest Riesling makers in the country before launching his own venture, John is never far away from his beloved grape. John makes classic Australian styles from carefully selected vineyards with an emphasis on purity and site reflection, as well as German-inspired expressions that balance acidity and sugar with singular precision.

Salomon Undhof is a family-owned winery established in 1792 in Stein on the Danube River, Austria. The vineyard area is 30 hectares, and the Salomon family owns vineyards planted with Riesling and Grüner Veltliner in equal amounts, as well as a small amount of Gelber Traminer. The winery uses gravity throughout the winemaking process, with hand-harvested grapes going directly to the de-stemmer or press for 3-12 hours of skin contact for single vineyard wines. All grapes are harvested traditionally by hand only. Salomon Undhof produces about 12,000 dozen bottles of wine each year, with a range of wines that have great power and complexity, yet with lovely finesse and a striking mineral personality. Kremstal wine region is a fascinating and historic wine-growing area in northern Austria, one of five wine regions extending on either side of the Danube river. The vineyards are centered around the town of Krems, downstream of Wachau DAC and boast ancient monastic vineyards and ruined thousand-year-old terraced vineyards on the slope of the valley plunging into the Krems river, joining the Danube river just east of town. This region is one of the most challenging and rewarding wine-growing areas in Europe and has been the heart of the wine trade in Austria. Kremstal wine region is Austria's smallest wine area, with only 2250 hectares of grapes accounting for 5% of Austrian wine production. The terrain and environment allow vines to perform to their full potential, with Gruner Veltliner accounting for around 60% of the vineyards in the Kremstal wine area. Riesling is another noteworthy grape in the region, accounting for 10% of output and being distinctive and rated the best in Austria. Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Zweigelt, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are among notable varietals. The Kremstal wine region has a rich history dating back over a thousand years, with winemaking and viticultural tradition. UNESCO has declared Krems' old town as a World Heritage Site. Located in Kremstal, Austria, the Pfaffenberg wine area is renowned for producing some of the best Riesling wines in the country. The wines from this area are known for their great purity and long-term aging potential. The Pfaffenberg is considered one of the best places for Riesling in the entire country due to its ideal soil and climate conditions. The urgestein (primary rock) soils in the vineyards of Pfaffenberg are perfectly suited to Riesling, resulting in wines with a striking mineral personality. Austrian Riesling is a world-renowned white wine grape variety that is highly prized in the wine-growing regions along the Danube river and its tributaries. The earliest documentation of the name was in 1435 in Rüsselsheim and the variety was probably taken from wild vines on the Oberrhein (the Upper Rhine). Riesling is a late-maturing variety, yielding highly ripe grapes in premium vineyard sites, especially in the wine-growing regions of Wachau, Kremstal, Traisental, Kamptal, Wien (Vienna), Wagram and Weinviertel. The vineyard area for Riesling increased steadily between 1999 and 2020, making it the second most important white wine variety in Austria after Grüner Veltliner. Riesling is a demanding grape in the vineyards, sensitive to grape stalk necrosis, stalk rot and grape Botrytis. However, when grown successfully, Riesling is known as the king of white wines, with flavors of lime, lemon and grapefruit and a signature vein of acidity that makes it unique. The Salomon Undhof Riesling Pfaffenberg 1ÖTW Kremstal DAC Reserve Alte Reben 2021 is a bright green-yellow wine with silver reflexes. On the nose, it offers yellow stone fruit nuances with subtle herbal spice, a hint of rosemary, notes of anise and delicate notes of ripe tangerines, all underpinned by smoky minerality. On the palate, it is complex and close-knit, with fine fruit sweetness and lively acidity. Notes of ripe peach are present and the wine has good persistence, secure development potential and great length. The fruit was hand-picked, crushed and macerated for 12 hours, then cold-settled for 36 hours. Wild-yeast fermented for 10 weeks in stainless steel, the wine was then matured over winter on fine lees. This wine is an excellent example of the quality and complexity that can be achieved from the Pfaffenberg wine area in Austria.