O’Leary Walker Watervale Riesling 2022

O’Leary Walker’s Watervale Riesling is aromatic, intense, brisk and pure. Which is exactly what we expect and want from the Watervale sub-region, one of the Clare Valley’s most distinctive and undeniably classic regions. Sets a highly fragrant tone from the outset with spring blossom, jasmine, talc, lemon sorbet and lime zest aromas. A fabulous, seamless wine with no harsh edges, only a glorious flow through the mouth dripping in lime cordial, grapefruit pith, talc and a spray of gentle spice. Intensity rises assisted by a clean slate-minerality before closing with a sour lemon drop tang. Too often, Watervale riesling is viewed – price-wise and quality-wise – as somehow the junior partner to its Polish Hill River sibling. Not this time round. In an outstanding vintage such as 2022, both stand tall.

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