TWR Riesling D 2022

Reviews

Stephen Wong MW (The Real Review): 96/100. A classic nose which unfurls with juicy mandarin, musky spice, and sweet basil— each note soaring higher than the last as it lifts off. The palate is perfectly balanced, oscillating between the spine-tingling acidity, fruit sweetness and mouth-coating concentration. Intense, spicy and stony while being light on its feet, a masterclass in poise and precision. Very young but with a bright future ahead. (AUG 24)

Erin Larkin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 93/100.The 2022 Riesling ‘D’ leads on the nose with cut lime and lemon oil, wet chalk and citrus pith, and white flowers emerge on the palate. The vines were planted in 1979 and are the oldest vines in Marlborough. The acidity is dry and fine; it spools through the fruit and is woven as threads through the phenolics. This is a gorgeous wine, crystalline and chalky, with three grams of residual per liter. Drink Date: 2025 – 2037

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 92/100. Aromas of ruby grapefruit, sliced pear and lemongrass followed by beeswax, paraffin and a hint of smoke. Light- to medium-bodied with mouthwatering acidity. Underlying hay and savory herb notes. Lots of layers and complexity. Drink or hold.

Tasting Note

Gorgeous lifted aromas of jasmine, fresh lemon, and ripe Kaffir lime follow through on to the palate. Flavours of fresh lime juice, lemon sorbet and ripe grapefruit with hints of floral spice are balanced by a fine backbone of ripe acidity. This Riesling is a dry style which has excellent fruit weight and concentration to balance the lingering mineral acid structure. Finely structured with great length of flavour.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: White wine

Grape variety: Riesling

Food match: rich pork dishes, Foie Gras, Asian cuisine

Alcohol: 12.5% vol

Residual sugar: 3.2 g/l

Total acidity: 7.2 g/l

Cellaring potential: 2022–2032+

Wine region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Vineyard: TWR old block (planted 1979). The fruit from these old vines (43 years old this vintage) has great fruit concentration and structure as well as great natural acidity that lends itself very well to making a dry style of Riesling.

Soil type: loam over clay with a small amount of gravel in it. It has good water holding capacity but also reasonable drainage due to the gravels that are in it. Whereas on the Wairau flood plain and lower terraces some of the soils are very young (eg only 300yrs old) the soils in TWR's part of the valley are thought to be 3800yrs old.

Winemaking: All the grapes for this wine were hand-picked and hand-sorted. The fruit was then destemmed, gently crushed, and air-bag pressed. Some parcels given skin contact time. All parcels were fermented in stainless steel tanks that were purpose built for Riesling. We like very slow, cool ferments for the Riesling to help retain all the great floral aromatics. This wine was rested on fine lees for months, has not been fined and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Vintage: The 2022 "Goldilocks vintage" saw great conditions over flowering followed by a dry, even summer with no major heat spikes. Rain in late February provided a boost before harvest began in mid-March. The resultant wines show great depth of flavour and fleshiness with bright aromatics and ripe, juicy acidity.

Production: 510 cases

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Closure: Screwcap

Produced and bottled by: TE WHARE RA WINES, 56 Anglesea Street, Renwick, Marlborough, New Zealand