Hatch Watervale Riesling 2024
- 97
- $35
- Drink by: 2025-2045
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Clare Valley Riesling, here from the Watervale sub-region, is one of the great gems of the Aussie wine treasure chest. For me, while the Flaxman’s might have been lineball with last year’s release, this is surely a step-up. A must for the cellar. Pale gleaming lemon in colour, the nose offers us exquisite floral notes and citrus, especially grapefruit. Fragrant and elegant, we have spices, limes and hints of river stones. Such balance! A majestic Riesling. There is a riot of flavour and yet an arcade of elegance. We have a line of oyster shell acidity, while the wine really does have impeccable balance (worth mentioning twice) and superb length. A Riesling which will drink beautifully, ageing gracefully, over the next fifteen to twenty years. Love it. Given Chris Hatcher’s decades of experience in the Aussie wine industry and his contacts, I guess it is no surprise.
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.
