NUALA Central Otago Riesling 2024

Reviews

New Zealand International Wine Show 2025: Gold.

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit: 94/100. Pristine and elegantly fragrant, the inviting bouquet shows Gala apple, lemon peel, apricot, and white floral aromas, followed by a juicy palate that’s finely flowing and lingering. Wonderfully complemented with a hint of sweetness and beautifully pitched acidity, finishing splendidly long and mouth-watering. Style: Off-dry. At its best: now to 2034.

Cameron Douglas MS: 93/100.  A lovely bouquet, perfumed and enticing with a mix of citrus and pomaceous fruits, lemon peel and green apple, then mineral and dry stone earthy qualities. Delicious on the palate, crisp and dry, floral, spiced and textured. A delicious wine, varietal and fruity, perfect as an aperitif with lots of texture, flavour and crispness.

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 92/100. Aromas of wet slate, ginger, fennel and a touch of nervy green apples. The palate is concentrated, with voluminous stone fruit and a texture driven by the fruit itself. Bright acidity provides balance, leading to a ripe flavorful finish. Subtle residual sugar. Drink now.

Tasting note

This Riesling presents a pale golden color in the glass. The nose is highly fragrant and complex, offering elegant aromas of jasmine combined with vibrant citrus notes and green apple. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and taut, showcasing flavors of pink grapefruit, fresh apple, mineral and white stone fruit. A bright, lively acidity perfectly balances the off-dry style, leading to a refreshing finish characterized by subtle mandarin peel.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Wine type: white wine

Varietal: 100% Riesling

Food match: The combination of fruit intensity, citrus notes and refreshing acidity in New Zealand Riesling complement a wide range of Asian cuisine. Enjoy this off dry style with salads, Japanese tempura and light seafood or with spicy yet fragrant Asian dishes.

Vineyard site: Bannockburn, Cromwell Basin, Bendigo & Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand.

Soil: Not specified (Typical Central Otago schist and alluvial gravels).

Vintage 2024: Overall, it was an excellent season in Central Otago with warm temperatures and very little rainfall. The warm and settled conditions throughout the season enabled excellent canopy growth. An early harvest was expected due to above average growing degree days but the cooler weather late in season was a welcome relief and resulted in a more normal picking window.

Winemaking: Handpicked fruit was pressed followed by 12 hours of skin contact (30%) to enhance aromatic extraction. After cold settling overnight, the juice underwent cool temperature fermentation at 15°C in stainless steel. A portion (20%) was fermented in old French barriques to add texture and complexity. The wine was aged for 8 months on lees before blending and bottling. No fining was used. The residual sugar was carefully controlled at 6.5g/L to balance the region's characteristic strong acidity.

Cellaring potential: 2028+

Alcohol: 12.6% vol

Residual sugar: 6.56 g/l

Total acidity: 7.6 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulfites, Vegan Friendly

Ingredients: Grapes, Packaging gases: nitrogen, preservative: Potassium metabisulphite (E 224).

Produced and bottled by: Nuala Wines Limited, 2, Alfred Street, Mayfield, Blenheim 7201, New Zealand