Best's Great Western Foudre Ferment Riesling 2017
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
This wine is a representation of another facet of Riesling’s charms. Displaying complex aromatic honeyed richness with texture and acidity to balance, it is the ideal accompaniment to stinky creamy cheeses.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This riesling takes on a more pronounced character of dried mango peel, guava peel, dried honeysuckle, apple pastries and dried acacia and jasmine. Medium to full body and layers of tropical fruit, but it is all held in place by some really vibrant acidity. The soft, almost creamy texture is really nicely balanced throughout with undertones of dried citrus. A long finish. Drink now or hold.
-
Wine Enthusiast
From a historic winery the cool climes of western Victoria, this is one of Best’s most lauded wines and for good reason. Wild fermented, with extended time on skins in a large oak foudre, it’s concentrated and textured, bursting with enchanting aromas of grilled peaches, waxy lemons and limes, wild herbs and a touch of honey and spice. The palate walks a tightrope between bright acidity and creamy texture. Medium to full bodied, this would make an excellent food-pairing wine now or over the next decade or more. Drink now until 2029. Editors’ Choice
Other Vintages
2021-
Australian Wine
Companion -
Robert
Parker
-
Australian Wine
Companion
The first grapes were planted at Great Western during the 1850s as the gold mining boom receded and people looked for a more permanent means of livelihood. Vineyards planted in 1867 include grape varieties so rare that several have defied all attempts at identification and are, in all probability, the sole surviving examples in the world.
Grampians has enjoyed a long history of viticulture dominated by production of red wines of longevity, elegance and power. Silky smooth Shiraz with flavors and aromas of red cherry, plum, spice and pepper is typical of the regional style.
Best’s Great Western is recognized internationally for the outstanding quality of their Shiraz.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Nestled into the tip of its southeastern coastline, Victoria is Australia’s smallest mainland state, second most populous and third largest wine producer. Victoria includes the cool regions of Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Geelong, made famous mainly by impressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
The more inland Heathcote and Bendigo lead the way for complex and textured, full-bodied reds. Rutherglen’s fortified wines compete among the best on the planet.