Was feeling a little shattered last night, so I opened eight Rieslings from the Clare and Eden Valleys (V2012) and four reds. Of the Rieslings I can report that two were outstanding, three were very good, and three were not really up to the task at hand. The vineyard for this Wonderland was planted in 1912. Will the vines receive a letter from the Queen do you think? A whisp of smoke on opening but clearing quickly to reveal a wine that’s so light and pure, yet has remarkable depth and concentration. Lime, almost a lemon curd flavour and perhaps a suggestion of apple–the flavour is there–almost feels soft when you first taste it, then turns crunchy, spicy and runs very very long. Yes, we have plenty of stony mineral stuff too. Fabulous. A real ‘wow’ wine. Rated : 96 Points Drink : 2012 - 2028+ Gary Walsh; The Wine Front
No need to mention the superlative 2012 vintage in the Clare and Eden as it’s going to be a year to secure some bank loans if you’re a Riesling lover. There’s an Edenesque stature and signature of wet flagstones, lifted florals, kaffir lime and hints of candied ginger. Its as much about citrus as it is about chalky minerals, it finds its trajectory immediately, delivering bursts of lemon, lime and scintillating spice leaving fresh acids to provide a lively, long finish. This is as good as Riesling gets – brilliant stuff. Rated: 95+ Points; Jeremy Pringle; Wine Will Eat Itself
Happy birthday to Colin Kroehn’s riesling vines, celebrating their 100th vintage this year! The season has certainly risen to the occasion, delivering a standout Dandelion that will rank among the best yet. The bouquet sets out with a fragrance of pure lime blossom and spicy kaffir lime zest, which continue with delicate poise through a palate of seamless line, pristine energy and exceedingly persistent aftertaste. Soft, fine, mineral, chalky texture lingers amid perfectly poised acidity. Rated: 95 Points; Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste
God knows where Colin Kroehn’s riesling grapes went before Dandelion’s bright young people came along. But since their arrival we’ve tasted some of the finest, most delicate Eden Valley riesling on offer – a particularly juicy, taut and delicate wine in the 2012 vintage. The Dandelion team includes Carl Lindner, Brad Rey, Zar Brooks and Elena Brooks, winemaker. Octogenarian Colin Kroehn tends his venerable old vines, planted in 1912. Winery: Colin Kroehn Vineyard; Region: Eden Valley; Rating: 94 Points; Chris Shanahan