Rongo Reflections Riesling 2023

Description

From the Elgo vineyard in Strathbogie.  The wine sits seven days on skins after crushing, with free run juice drawn into stainless steel for cool fermentation.  The wine is raised 50/50 in stainless and neutral barrels for six months before bottling.  Lightly filtered and unfined, and less than 2g/L residual sugar as opposed to the previous vintage’s 8 grams.

Crazy nose!  Rosemary, thyme, lavender.  This wine for us is defined by a lovely Germanic texture which gives a beautiful depth.  Flavours of yellow and green apples, preserved lemon, just coming out of its post bottling shell but looks great.  Superb length, high acid but not shrill, perhaps slightly skinsy in personality but with enough freshness and clarity for broad appeal, and a fun wine for diverse food matching.  Riesling in a Burgundy bottle promises an alternative stylistic statement (or should in our view), and this delivers in spades.