Mature: Wakefield St Andrew’s Clare Valley Riesling 2010

Classic bone dry Australian Riesling is a flexible friend.  I love it in its brash, bracing youth.  Bring on the Coffin Bay oysters!  And I love it mature, when fillet of King George Whiting with lemon butter sauce better fits the bill (a memorable Orlando Steingarten lunch remembered…).

Here in the UK I’d pair Wakefield’s mature St Andrew’s Clare Valley Riesling 2010 with pan-fried plaice or sole with lemon butter sauce, perhaps with some brown shrimps to bring out its evolving sweet/savoury nuances.  Or (outed as a Masterchef fan), I reckon it has the chutzpah  – Clare Valley punchiness – to stand up to the pork loin with mustard sauce and apple pureé which won over former contestants last week.

Wakefield St Andrew’s Clare Valley Riesling 2010 (Clare Valley)

The flagship St Andrew’s range is only produced in top years; 2010 was a low yielding vintage and Rieslings, in particular, were a stand out at Wakefield.  From a vineyard at 350m on terra rossa soil over limestone it has no shortage of structure; mature but plenty of go yet.  It reveals a wet slate nose – pronounced minerality – with a hint of kerosene and richer lime cordial, sweet apple sauce and toast, all of which notes follow through on the palate.  Has sufficient weight/richness to carry the fish or pork and the firm backbone of acidity to cut through a creamy sauce and cleanse the palate.  Like I said, versatile.  £20.99 from Oz Wines.