First taste: Grosset 2014 Clare Valley Rieslings

Jeffery Grosset, Australia’s classic Riesling king, has described the 2014 vintage as “outstanding.”  I’m not begging to differ.  Rather it’s a case of begging for more!  Tasted over a couple of days, Grosset 2014 Rieslings are compelling and remain one of the wine world’s smart buys.

You’ll find my notes below.  First, here’s Grosset’s report on the vintage:

“2014 saw early vintage challenges of extreme heat and rain which resulted in slightly lower than average fruit yields. Despite this, the overall quality achieved this year was outstanding. The vineyard canopies maintained optimum physiological ripeness, resulting in perfect sugar and acid balance in the white varieties.”

Grosset Springvale Watervale Riesling 2014 (Clare Valley)

A very tight, chalky nose, which draws you deep into this vineyard’s limestone sub-soil from the off.  Normally, I think of Watervale Rieslings as expressively floral – musk and kaffir lime are common tasting notes.  There’s a touch of the latter on day two but this wine has a more herbal, hops-like edge to it – perfumed, but a little green and savoury.  A quality which I associate more readily with German Riesling.  It follows through on a deliciously tangy, textural palate with chalky acidity and lip-smacking but ripe lemon juice and perfumed lime zest.    Again, whilst normally I expect Watervale Rieslings to show great generosity from the off, Springvale 2015 really leads on the back palate.  An uber-long rapier-like finish is pithy and precise.  Plenty of excitement now; plenty of excitement yet to come. The power of organics?  12.5% RRP £24.99

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2014 (Clare Valley)

What a powerful, muscular nose.  Which I suppose is what prompted my G & T anaology when I first tasted this wine.  Where the spirit makes its presence felt in a G & T, Polish Hill’s tensile terroir overshadows variety.  An impression which is swiftly reinforced by quinine-like, slatey minerality to the palate and fleeting lemon – lemon myrtle, not juice or zest.  For fruit and flower nuances swiftly give way to a powerful yet surprisingly delicate sucking stones/swirl of oyster shell minerality which plays out over a long, very long, taut, precise, finish. Wonderful and, I might add, well worth all that attention on the tasting bench – as you’ll see from Grosset’s handy spot the difference comparison of the trio, it took 2-3 hours each morning over three weeks to settle upon the perfect (and it is) wine. 12.5% RRP £29.99

Grosset Alea Riesling 2014 (Clare Valley)

Naturally, this off-dry Riesling (which has 12.3g/l residual sugar) is a touch rounder than the foregoing wines, which are both stellar examples of Australia’s classic bone dry styles.  But factor in Mr Grosset and you can add precision into the (most carefully thought through) equation.  So while it reveals a lick of honey to its juicy, tangy greengage and mirabelle fruit, it has consummate balance – a hint of tartness –  and finishes clean (so dryish) and chalky (textural and mineral), as well it might given that the vineyard is located next to the Springvale Vineyard.  On day two, herbal hints of hops and camomile emerge.  More ‘nip and tuck’ than previous vintages.  Very well done.   12.5%  RRP £22.99