Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From 40-year-old original plantings, the 2015 Riesling Art Series is very pretty on the nose with honeysuckle, peach blossom and lime cordial notes, as well as a touch of anise. Light-bodied and dry, with great intensity, this wine has approachable softness and great length.
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Wine Enthusiast
Leeuwin Estate 2015 Art Series Riesling (Margaret River). Tasted blind, this wasn’t particularly different from the other Rieslings in its flight, which were predominantly South Australian. It’s got those same wet stone and citrus tendencies and is made in the same medium-bodied, dry, high acid style. There’s a touch of pineapple as well, plus a long, dry crisp finish.
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.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.