The X Factor: Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling 2013

Remember the tagline “Australians wouldn’t give a XXXX for anything else,” from the 1980s/90s advertisements for Castlemaine beer? I’m surprised I do because I’m no fan of beer.

However, at Liberty Wine’s portfolio tasting last week, table XX showcased an Australian “drink” to which I reckon the slogan might well be applied. It was the latest vintage of Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling, a wine about which its maker Stephanie Toole remarked “I know it’s only a dessert wine, but so’s Yquem!”

Sure enough, it is one of Australia’s best sweeties and it’s particularly glorious in 2013 – my most memorable wine of the tasting. Here’s my note.

Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling 2013 (Clare Valley)

A very pure, fine, soaring and super-appetising nose of candied lime and lime blossom.

A swooping attack delivers swoonfully sweet candied, honeyed limes before, gathering pace and lime blossom lift, accelerating into an extended (seemingly endless) searingly sorbet-fresh, unspittable finish.

Terrific, knife-edge sugar/acid balance makes for a truly dynamic sweet wine (as great Riesling should be). Outstanding. 11.5% abv, 101.3g/l residual sugar, 8.1g/l total acidity (pH 3.14). Half bottle price: £19.81 at Excel Wines, £23.10 at Hedonism.