2025 Springvale Clare Valley Riesling

The 2025 Springvale Riesling is taut and thrumming aromatically: notes of lemon zest, talc, scratched soapstone and white flowers predominate. In the mouth, the wine is fleshy in its fruit profile yet austere in its acid attack, and together, these make for an awkward pairing in youth. Like a successful arranged marriage, these two extremes will eventually unite, bringing together the best of the warm days and the cold nights that were experienced early in the growing season. There was a significant frost in September of 2024 that damaged some fruit set and vineyards early in the season. Not all vineyards were affected, but it was a bitter blow for those that were, having experienced a similarly damaging frost the spring prior. The 2025 season rolled out with extremely dry conditions, which was felt right across the South Australian state. For those who were able to coax and manage their vineyards through these challenging conditions, the wines are fantastic and, like this Springvale Riesling, will show themselves to be excellent in years to come. I'd be inclined to allow this a year or so of grace in the cellar prior to embarking. 12.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.