2022 Leeuwin Estate Riesling Art Series

The 2022 Art Series Riesling leads with fleshy lime and green apple skins. There is always a presence of galangal/coriander/loquat, and that remains consistent this vintage. Tight and focused despite the warmer vintage, judicious picking has produced a wine that is interestingly lean, as well as fleshy. That's a combination of the vintage, the region and the expression of the variety here in Margaret River. The phenolics are savory and curve through the fruit through the finish, keeping the wine tight and focused. Healthy canopies in the vineyard help to shade the fruit, retain natural acidity and promote the purity of fruit flavors in the finished wine. This is one of the very few Riesling vineyards in Margaret River, and it's consistently expressive. The vines were planted in 1975/76.

They have 20 ha of Riesling, the oldest and largest plantings in Margaret River, planted in 1975 during the era when Robert Mondavi was advising the Horgans as they established the estate. They encourage a generous canopy. RS is now <0.5 g/l but it was once higher. Bottled in June. This smells like a slightly candified version of Riesling. Then on the palate it's extremely dry, tasting like unsweetened lime juice. Now, it's only just the right side of austere! But of course it’s only a few months old… (JR)