La Línea is a collaboration between Peter Leske and David LeMire MW, need we say more? La Linea’s premise was always about looking ahead and thinking outside the box. Questions like how can we do better, what more can we do, what else will grow well here? Are just some of the back and forth between two of the most knowledgeable men in Australian wine. It started with Tempranillo but where it will end, heaven or the Hills will only know.
2023 Riesling 25GR Vertigo
$24.00 | 95 Points
Lime curd, green apple curls and the daintiest lilies of the valley blooms. White nectarine sorbet and strawberry leaf. Don’t let the 25 grams fool you, this is exactly where the wine needs to be, to find its equilibrium. It’s a great example of expertly handled high acidity and the sweet, sweet sugars of perfectly ripened Riesling. Like taking a tight corner on a F1 racing track, this wine is maneuvered with skill and supreme confidence. A wonderful celebration of the Hills and of modern Aussie Riesling. Drink now in the sunshine with the breeze in your hair and maybe some lime and pepper crisps.
2021 Mencia
$32.00 | 92 Points
The first to plant Mencia means the team have had a few years to watch and learn from the young vines. This vintage we see black skinned berries, fig and pomegranate molasses. There is a hint of sesame, black truffle and rye. A wisp of kombu and nigella seed. This feels like the most true to place Mencia I’ve tried with the coolness of the site expressed in its savoury and ripe herbal tones. It’s punchy with acidity but with firm structured natural skin tannins. A iron and grey slate stone finish. A wine that is drinking well now and will cellar well over a medium term around 5 years. The mind boggles for wine pairings, sesame crusted pork with earthy root vegetables and a miso glaze would be a good start.
2023 Albariño
$32.00 | 90 Points
The first vintage Albariño from La Línea has hit the trade. Logans, green apple and Bosch pear. Honeydew melon, Acacia flowers and lime. With time in the glass and a bit of warming up you’ll also find there are subtle hints of pineapple and kiwi skin. This is the basket of fruits we have come to expect from Albariño with the elevated acidity and a crisp dry finish. There is a good heft of fruit weight and chewy texture thanks to some barrel- fermentation that brings this wine from a crowd pleaser to a wine with substance. Drink now with a Thai beef salad and plenty of fresh herbs.
2023 Tempranillo Rosé
$25.00 | 91 Points
Watermelon, grapefruit bitters and pickled plums. Blood orange, rose petal and red cherry. Plenty of concentration and a direct line of acidity that makes this wine so moreish to drink. It has the freshness of a Cyclone icypole and all the fruit flavours too. This is summer drinking because its joyous and utterly thirst quenching. Drink now and serve with a good cold prawn roll and mary rose sauce.
