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    St. Andrews

    Riesling 2017

    Result Bronze 0

    Result Silver 0

    Result Gold 0

    Result Max 0

    Result Trophy 0

    Hedonistic and tightly focused, this exceptionally balanced wine displays lemon, lime and a seamless spine of natural acidity leading to a finish of extraordinary length.

    TEST Download full winemaker notes

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    Honours and awards
    Accolades

    Honours and awards

    • Wine Show
    • Award
    • Japan Wine Challenge 2021
    • Platinum
    • International Wine Awards 2021
    • Great Gold
    • Vinus International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021
    • Double Gold
    • Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2021
    • Gold
    • Wine Showcase Magazine New Release Tasting 2021
    • Gold
    • Catavinum World Wine & Spirit Competition 2021
    • Gold
    • Catador Wine Awards 2021
    • Gold
    • Korea Wine Challenge 2021
    • Gold
    • Asia Wine Trophy 2021
    • Gold
    • International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021
    • Gold
    • Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards 2021
    • Gold
    • Stellar Cellar Selection BTI 2021
    • Gold
    • Canberra International Riesling Challenge 2021
    • Gold
    • World Wine Championships 2021
    • Gold
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    Wine details
    VITAL STATISTICS

    Wine details

    • At release, the wine is a very pale straw colour with a slight green tinge to the edge. It displays zesty lemon and lime aromas along with faint orange blossom and talc. This particular Clare Riesling is still tight and restrained with a linear focus to the palate and purity of fruit flavours. There are lashings of fresh lemon/lime juice characters up front and a slate-like minerality across the mid-palate. It is backed up by a persistent and refreshing lime acid finish.

    • The aim is to craft a wine of delicacy and finesse that will age well. To this end, the juice was extracted using gentle whole berry pressing to protect the delicate fruit flavours and prevent any extraction of course phenolic character. It is then chilled quickly to just under 10 degrees C. The entire process occurring within ~15 minutes of harvest to ensure the true varietal and regional characters are captured and retained. The juice was allowed to cold settle for 24 hrs before being racked off gross lees. A cool fermentation was carried out in stainless steel vessels, using a relatively neutral yeast strain to preserve varietal characteristics. The fermentation was completed to a natural level of dryness. Minimal fining and filtration is employed prior to bottling in June 2017.

    • In the growing season leading up to vintage 2017, winter rainfall was above average, in fact for the full year, it was the wettest recorded since 2000. Soil temperatures remained very low due to the waterlogged conditions and the below average ambient temperatures recorded through the spring resulted in budburst occurring up to a month later than in recent years. Weather conditions during flowering however were favourable and hence fruit set was good across all varieties. Harvest began in late February and picking continued at a slow and steady rate until early May due to the prevailing mild conditions. Overall, or winemakers have declared the vintage to be above average vintage in terms of quantity and fruit quality with Riesling a standout white variety.

      St Andrews vineyards, block A80, planted with the clone GM198.

    • Clare Valley

      • Acid: 9.79
      • Alc %: 12.36
      • PH: 2.90
      • Residual Sugar: 0.12

    • Under ideal conditions this wine should cellar well to 2037, possibly longer.

    Download full winemaker notes

    12

    Reviews
    EXPERT APPRAISALS

    Reviews

    • Clare Valley & Surrounding Regions

      4 Jan 2018
      3 Stars
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    • Nick Stock, WHY AUSTRALIAN WINE IS SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING IN THE WORLD

      8 Jan 2018
      93 Points
      A spicy riesling with white peppers, some petrol, blossoms and preserved lemons. Medium to full body, some really zesty acidity, delicious and fleshy stone fruit and a limey finish. Drink now.
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    • John Fordham, From the Vine

      8 Jan 2018
      As the third-generation Taylor clan edges towards its 50th anniversary, its top-tier Clare Valley brand St Andrews continues to carve an illustrious pathway, this delicious release showcasing the finest attributes of a cracker riesling harvest, with winemaker Adam Eggins not missing a beat along the way.
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    • Huon Hooke,

      9 Jan 2018
      87 Points
      Light yellow hue and a bouquet of kaffir lime leaves and lemon pith, while the palate is tight and very tangy with elevated acidity on a bone-dry finish. There's just a touch of sourness here. A little austerity. One for the acid lovers.
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    • Christina Pickard, Buying Guide

      4 Jan 2019
      91 Points
      On the riper end of the spectrum, this wine offers up aromas of lime popsicle, lavender, honey and a touch of wild herbs. The palate is chalky in texture, with weight that’s deftly balanced by mouthwatering acidity and plenty of citrusy zing. Herb and mineral nuances run along its spine. Drink now–2028.
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    • Robert Whitely,

      2 Jan 2019
      95 Points
      Australia’s Clare Valley is home to many of Australia’s finest dry Rieslings, and I include Wakefield’s St. Andrews among them. This vintage offers classic aromas of lime citrus and orange blossom, a hint of minerality on the nose and mouthwatering acidity that will preserve this wine for more than a decade. And that’s the best part. Dry Riesling from the Clare Valley evolves over time into a wine with extraordinary complexity and allure. Yes, you could certainly consume it now with pleasure. But for those with the patience to cellar this wine, a remarkable wine experience awaits.
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    • Fredric Koeppel, Six Savory Whites

      4 Jan 2019
      Charges right out of the gate with pert and pertinent notes of acacia, iodine, roasted lemon and lime peel; a few moments in the glass adds hints of talc and lilac; the theoretical color scheme on the palate is yellow and white, that is peach, pear and pale plums, and some slightly astringent little white flower; boy, this delivers tons of presence and personality, bringing in touches of cloves and quince, grapefruit and limestone. Crisp, taut and focused. Best from 2021 through 2027 to ’29. Excellent.
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    • Andrew Graham, 10 FINE NEW AUSTRALIAN RIESLING ON A TUESDAY – FEAT. HAREWOOD, CASTLE ROCK, ST HUGO & MORE

      5 Jan 2019
      93 Points
      A year older than the wines around it, but no lesser. Concentrated lemon lime aplenty here, the acid is firm, the finish very long and the sheer potency is great. Don’t be fooled, this is top tier, even if it’s built more for later than right now. Power! Best drinking: I’d wait for four or five years and let that wave of toast ride on in. 18/20, 93/100. 12.5%, $40. Would I buy it? One for the cellar.
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    • Rich Cook, THIS ISSUE'S REVIEWS - 28 May 2019

      5 Jan 2019
      95 Points
      Riesling from Down Under is a personal favorite, and if you’re a fan of bracing acidity, tart citrus and overall beauty, you’ll love this example. Eden Valley seems to get a lot of the press, but this Clare Valley example shouts its presence with style and class. If you’re still reading you’re probably a Riesling geek like me, so chew on these numbers: 12.5 alcohol, 2.9 pH, 9.79 TA and .12 Residual Sugar. That’s got me salivating, but it doesn’t matter much if it doesn’t translate to a great glass. It certainly does here. The finish goes on and on -- if you love fresh lime zest, this delivers the goods. Halibut filet, please.
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    • MaryAnn Worobiec,

      5 Jan 2019
      89 Points
      The pineapple and jicama flavors of this white are crisp, with crunchy acidity and lovely transparency, lingering with a note of lime zest. Drink now.
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    • James Halliday,

      8 Jan 2018
      95 Points
      Very interesting: Taylor's says the grapes are harvested, pressed and chilled below 10 degrees C within 15 minutes of harvest. That's some sort of speed record, even if the vineyard is adjacent to the winery. Opens quietly then rapidly gains flavour and length as it moves towards the lovely, juicy lime-infused finish.
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    • Adler Yarrow , Vinography Unboxed: Week of 7/19/20

      7 Jan 2020
      Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of paraffin, green apples and white flowers. In the mouth, juicy citrus pith, grapefruit and candied green apple flavors have a remarkable wet chalkboard minerality to them, as well as an ethereal weightlessness in the mouth. Excellent acidity. 12.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap.
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