Riesling the biggest secret in wine, hidden in Sauvignon Blanc’s shadow

It is worth falling in love with riesling because we live in a country that makes a truly dazzling range for as little as $20 a bottle.

Rieslings remain the unsung heroes of Australian wine.

It’s as cheap as chips. It’s fresh and delicate. It can remind you of flowers and lime juice and it zings on your tongue like lemon sorbet. It can be cellared for decades and emerges smelling like marmalade on toast.

It is one of the wonders of the world and I’m making it my responsibility to make sure you’re in the know.

Riesling is still the biggest secret in Australian wine: it accounted for as little as 1.5 per cent of wine sold over the past 12 months (about a tenth of sauvignon blanc sales).

So what’s the problem? Is riesling too old-fashioned to be hip? Is it battling an identity crisis? Is it sweet or dry?

Some say riesling’s image has never recovered from the days of Blue Nun and Black Tower and four-litre casks of $3.99 “Rhine riesling”.

Like many young drinkers of the 1980s, I poured through my quota of ghastly goon at backyard parties but emerged from the debris to learn that real riesling is a vastly different creature.

It is worth falling in love with the stuff because we live in a country that makes a truly dazzling array of rieslings for as little as $20 a bottle. Riesling aficionados can experience the intense citrus and apple flavours of Clare Valley; the romance of old vines in Eden Valley’s high country; the mouth-watering glory of Henty’s cool climate wines. We then venture west and appreciate why flinty Great Southern is zooming up the charts. We let the winemakers of Canberra and Tasmania excite our palates with racy, crisp upstarts.

And no matter how carried away you get, you won’t lose your shirt: even the highest of high-quality rieslings don’t cost much more than $50 — James Halliday’s highest-rated rieslings in his 2021 Wine Companion were around $45. Compare that to the price of a top-rated shiraz.

Riesling’s versatility is probably part of its image problem. I’m still asked, “But isn’t riesling sweet?”, when trying to convert friends from the sauv blanc camp.

Yes, riesling can be sweet — Germany is renowned for its pitch-perfect off-dry wines — but the house style for Australian rieslings tends to be dry. Some winemakers now sell their rieslings with a sweet-to-dry gauge on the label so consumers understand what style of riesling is being sold.

So there’s no excuses. Take the plunge. Here are four recommendations from The Australian Wine Club from four different regions.

Thorn Clarke Sandpiper Eden Valley Riesling 2019

Exhibit 1 when it comes to high-quality riesling at a sub-$20 price point. It’s all here: lemon zest, floral notes with a hint of spice and a lingering finish. Classic Eden Valley example. Comes with two gold medals and 95 points from James Halliday. Who’s got the oysters? $17 in any dozen.

Alex Russell “Son of a Bull” Tamar Valley Riesling 2018

Tasmania’s reputation as premium cool climate wine producer continues to grow. First it was sparkling and pinot noir winning applause. Now it’s chardonnay and riesling. Son of a Bull comes out fighting with citrus blossom, finger lime and white flowerson the nose. Picked later in the season to lock in the flavours. Let’s lunch with a crispy duck salad. $21.25 in any dozen.

Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling 2019

This is serious stuff. Grown organically from the ironstone rock soils of Frankland River in WA’s Great Southern region, an intensity lies beneath the perfume of green apple, lime and guava. Lemon and lime juice flavours powered by lively acidity lead to a super long finish. Will live for decades. $38.25 in any dozen.

Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard Museum Release Riesling 2012

Whipped by wild winds that rip across the southern Indian Ocean, the historic Drumborg vineyard at Henty in Victoria’s southwest has astounded wine lovers with the consistency of its riesling for more than 50 years. As this wine closes in on 10 years, you’ll still find the lime, green apple and grapefruit aromas of its youth but enjoy a lovely softness on the palate carrying intense lime, lemon and mineral flavours. A brilliant expression of high-quality riesling from a special vineyard. $39.99 in any dozen.

John Lehmann is the commercial director and managing editor of The Australian