High-flying riesling from Great Southern and beyond by Alkoomi, Crabtree and The Remarkable State

It’s the most isolated winery in Australia setting a five-star benchmark for riesling that rivals traditional strongholds like Clare and Eden valleys.

The trio of majestic rieslings that make up our dozen ‘deal of the week’.

It was the valleys of Clare and Eden that turned me into a riesling freak.

But in more recent years, the wilds of Western Australia’s Great Southern have captured my attention with the intensity and concentration of the region’s superb riesling.

Riesling dances on to centre stage at The Australian Wine Club today, with a trio of majestic wines from Great Southern, Clare Valley and Eden Valley making up our dozen “deal of the week”.

Alkoomi is one of the pioneering wineries of the vast Great Southern region, earning an enviable reputation – and five red stars in James Halliday’s Wine Companion – since being established just over 50 years ago by Merv and Judy Lange.

Located 350km south of Perth and a good hour’s drive from a local grocery store, Alkoomi’s sprawling 1200ha property in the Great Southern sub-region of Frankland River is regarded as Australia’s most isolated winery.

While Alkoomi started life as a grain and livestock farm, Merv and Judy took the plunge into wine in 1971, planting 1ha each of riesling and cabernet sauvignon, believing the property’s soils and continental climate were perfectly suited.

They were right: today Alkoomi (a local indigenous word for “a place we chose”) is one of the largest family owned wineries in WA, with an average of 80,000 cases of high-quality wine produced each vintage under the watchful eye of Merv and Judy’s daughter Sandy and her husband Rod Hallett, from more than 160ha of estate vineyards.

Winemaker Andrew Cherry has been making Alkoomi’s award-winning wines for the past 14 years and calls out Frankland River’s climate – particularly the temperature spread between hot summer days and cool nights – as a key factor.

“In summer it’s quite normal to have days in the 30s (degrees Celsius) and nights below 10C,’’ he says.

“This really helps develop the natural acidity you want in riesling.

“We also have low rainfall so we have no disease pressure and we’re not forced by the weather to pick. You have this effortless ripening and you just wait.”

Andrew, who has worked in Clare Valley at O’Leary Walker, says while lemon and lime juice flavours drive good Clare rieslings, he sees sherbet-like characters and fine natural acid as hallmarks of Frankland River.

“Some people see grapefruit and musk characters but that’s not for me to say – it’s up to those drinking the wine to taste what they taste.” Well said.

Alkoomi Black Label Frankland River Riesling 2020

There’s a delicateness to this riesling which is irresistible. Sourced from Alkoomi’s first plantings (1971) and a block planted 20 years ago. Only free run juice used. Lifted orange blossom and pink grapefruit on the nose lead to zippy citrus flavours and soft minerally acid. Poised, precise and powerful. Trying stopping at one glass. Vegan-friendly. 94 Halliday points. 12% alc; RRP $32 a bottle.

SPECIALS $24.99 a bottle in any dozen or $20.83 a bottle in riesling dozen

The Remarkable State Black Label Eden Valley Riesling 2021

Proprietor Rob Turnbull moved from England in 1997 after working a vintage in the Barossa and named his wine business after the state he now calls home. Crafted from fruit grown at small vineyards in the high country of Eden Valley. From the sensational 2021 vintage, this riesling shows green apple, citrus and nectarine flavours, with fresh acidity driving to a long clean finish. 95 points from Wine Orbit’s Sam Kim. 13% alc; RRP $30 a bottle.

SPECIALS $21.99 a bottle in any dozen or $20.83 a bottle in riesling dozen

Crabtree Watervale Clare Valley Riesling 2022

 

From vines up to 40 years old in Watervale, this is classic Clare: lemon zest, limes and a hint of jasmine on the nose, with juicy concentrated citrus flavours. Finely textured. Over delivers on value. 12.5% alc; RRP $32 a bottle.

SPECIALS $24.99 a bottle in any dozen or $20.83 a bottle in riesling dozen

RIESLING SPECIAL Four bottles of each wine above for $20.83 a bottle. Save $126 a dozen.

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550.