Mitchell Wines Alcatraz Riesling 2022
- 92
- $28
- Drink by: 2022-2025
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The Alcatraz Vineyard, which consists of 10 hectares of Riesling, 7 of Shiraz and 1.5 hectares of Semillon, and sits at an altitude around 400m, was planted in 1962 by Peter McNicol Mitchell (if the name seems familiar, tribute has been paid by way of the McNicol range of aged wines in the Mitchell portfolio).
Green/yellow in colour, this is bright and limey, with notes of wet stone and a slightly rich stonefruit character. This is forward and generous, but certainly has a future, although for me, this would be the Riesling from the 2022 vintage for which I’d reach for drinking now. With medium length and good balance, this is simply delicious.
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.
