Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Riesling 2023

By any measure – aroma, flavour, structure, length and complexity – this is a stunning Riesling. And that vibrant, pulsing acidity offers a winemaking Masterclass in itself. It is intricately woven throughout the wine, essential and complete but never intrusive, a fact that winemaker Hunter Smith puts down to picking fruit slightly riper than he once did. Super fragrant and lifted in the heady scent of spring flowers, citrus blossom, lime zest, lemongrass and spice. Elegant and poised from start to long finish, Isolation Ridge fills the mouth with an intensity of citrus – lime and lemon – exotic spice notes, hints of ginger, lemon skin and lemongrass all beautifully melded by the aforementioned acidity. Nine months on lees and time in oak (10%) brings greater depth and an engaging umami mouthfeel, just a little, that helps heighten the whole delightful tasting experience.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic