Bethany First Village Eden Valley Riesling 2022
- 93
- $28
- Drink by: 2022-2030
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The reference to ‘First Village’ is because Bethany was the first settlement in the Barossa Valley, established in 1842 by the brave German immigrants from Silesia. Bethany Estate was established soon after and Johann Schrapel planted the estate’s first vines in 1852. Six generations later, the family is still offering superb local wines at great value. This Eden Valley Riesling is compelling evidence of that. 2022 is another sensational vintage for the Eden Valley, highlighted by a lengthy ripening period which avoided any serious heat spikes. For those keen on such information, the team blended the fruit from two vineyards – the Batten Vineyard (58%) and the Goodchild Vineyard (42%).
Almost gin clear in colour, this is tight, restrained and focused. We have aromas incorporating florals, bath salts, grapefruit and wet slate. There is a thrilling steely background to these flavours, backed up with vibrant acidity. Decent length, this is still very youthful and will provide exciting drinking from now for the next six to eight years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
