Shaw Vineyard Estate Reserve Isabella Riesling 2017

If you were to pick the standout white grape variety for the Canberra District then riesling would have to be at the top of the list. The region creates its own unique style for the grape variety – wines that are beautifully crisp and acid driven with more reserved and restrained fruits than generally seen in the South Australian styles.

This is the Reserve Aged Release from Shaw Vineyard Estate with the wines given some years in bottle to soften their zesty acidity. Despite its age, the wine still boasts a youthful colour and aromatics. It’s pristine and pure with concentrated and focussed kaffir lime leaf and citrus aromas with a touch of stony minerality. The palate is then crisp and mid-weight – tangy acidity drives a long, fine and angular long finish. It is delicious now with some chilled prawns but would also benefit from a couple more years ageing to further soften that acid hit.

Angus Hughson

Founder at Winepilot

Angus is an award-winning wine writer and the Founder and Publisher of Winepilot, the Australian Editor for leading international publication VINOUS with Antonio Galloni based in New York City and the Co-Publisher of The Australian Ark with over 15 years of publishing, writing and judging experience.

Criticauthor and publisher