Jeffrey Grosset – latest Riesling releases plus the Landmark Tutorial Riesling Masterclass

In 2008 I enjoyed a tip top visit with Australia’s Riesling King, Jeffrey Grosset and his partner Mount Horrock’s Stephanie Toole, so it was fun to catch up with Grosset again at last September’s Landmark Tutorial (pictured), check out his selection of benchmark wines and solicit his thoughts on Australian Riesling generally. I’ve just posted my report of the Riesling Masterclass here on my Australia regional report page.

As you’ll see, the masterclass focused on wines past, present and future, the oldest being Leo Buring DWC15 Riesling 1973, while an exciting new future direction was represented by off-dry styles of Riesling.  It’s a growing niche and one which Grosset said has yet to be fully explored Down Under.  Indeed, although the 2010 vintage marks the 30th consecutive releases of Grosset’s iconic bone dry Springvale Riesling and Polish Hill Riesling, it’s the first vintage in which Grosset has released an Off-Dry Riesling. 

Below are my most recent tasting notes for all three of Grosset’s 2010 wines, which I’ve re-tasted this week, (the dry wines over three days to enable these very potent, ageworthy expressions of Riesling to unravel a little).  First, here’s Grosset’s vintage report:

“The 2009/2010 growing season ran smoothly in all respects.  There were no significant heat waves, an early budburst, and no disease pressure. As a result, the vines were able to get it right fairly quickly in the season, and powered through to what was an early finish for vintage – the earliest in 30 years. The ideal conditions meant the Riesling fruit looked and tasted as good, or better, than anything we have seen in the last three years. The resulting wines from this vintage will show superior finesse and balance.”

Grosset Off-Dry Clare Valley Riesling 2010 (Watervale, Clare Valley)

2010 is the third year that Jeffrey Grosset has made an off-dry Riesling, but the first time that he’s been happy enough with the result to bottle and release it under the Grosset label.  It’s a single site Riesling from the gentle north-facing slopes of the estate’s second vineyard at Watervale. As I said last September, this pitch perfect, precise wine has Grosset written all over it.  Several months on its honey-tinged super-juicy, tangy yellow plum and greengage fruit has a  more pronounced slatey minerality.  Very, very drinkable, so buy the Off-Dry for now, stagger the dry Rieslings over the next 3-5 years and, if you have the patience, tuck the Springvale or Polish Hill away for a decade or two or three….11.5% ( with 16g/l residual sugar & 9.2 g/l of total acidity).  RRP: £17.99; stockists: Noble Green Wines, Hanging Ditch Wine Merchants, The Fine Wine Company, Oz Wines
 

Grosset Springvale Riesling 2010 (Watervale, Clare Valley) 

From the six hectare ‘Springvale’ Vineyard  at one of its highest (and coolest) points in the north-eastern partof the Watervale district, which is planted on soft rock soils – red loam over limestone.  This leads on nose and palate with a seamless and prolonged delivery of mouthwatering lime and grapefruit, perfumed lime blossom and chalk dust, which adds a textural “spine.”  As you’d expect from Grosset it’s possessed of crystalline purity and precision, making for a long, controlled, seemingly endless finish with breathtaking fluidity.  Broachable if intensely primary and youthful at this stage, with plenty in reserve. 13%  RRP: £19.95; stockists: Wimbledon Wine Cellar, South Downs Cellars, Noel Young Wines, Alfred The Grape

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2010 (Polish Hill, Clare Valley)

Polish Hill’s hard rock soils make for a tensile, ennervating wine, positively clenched with minerals (slate and quinine) such is it’s tightness and sense of extract.  With terrific palate presence, this immensely powerful Riesling has plenty of depth to be mined in future years.  Well worth the wait too judging by the performance of the 1984 vintage we tasted at Landmark.  My advice? Do not touch for at least three years and promises to keep for 30!  RRP: £23.99; stockists: Philglas & Swiggot, The Sampler, Reserve Wines, Carruthers & Kent, Villeneuve Wines