2014 Grosset, Riesling, Polish Hill, Clare Valley, Australia.
It is great to see Grosset back in the US and while not cheap, it is a stunning wine, and is a bucket list Riesling no question, thanks to Hudson Wine Brokers for bringing this winery back to our market after a few years away. With the world re-discovering Riesling and especially the drier styles, Grosset is a standard barer for the Aussie style, along with Pewsey Vale, Rolf Binder and Henschke, these are top class exceptionally dry wines that rival Grosses Gewachs from Germany, Austria’s dry versions, in fact Grosset reminds me most of Knoll from the Wachau, and the best from Alsace. The Grosset from Clare, really stands above, even if I adore the Eden Valley wines mentioned, and the 2014 version of Polish Hill is truly spectacular with intense lime, minty herb, grapefruit, mineral, peach and mango with great crisp extract, vibrant and juicy acidity it just explodes from the glass and is a vigorous young Riesling, hyper dry and mouth watering with nice salty notes and chalky stoniness. The Polish Hill is not your grandma’s Riesling, it is austere, vivid and light and searing on the palate, though you can sense the inner density and power, this is a special wine. Riesling goes through many stages and while it is now bright and tangy, giving lots of it’s charm, they really need years and even decades to really be mind-blowing and I think this will be one of those greats that we wish we had more of in the cellar. It is a big seductive tease right now with hints of grand moments ahead, though there is nothing wrong with drinking it now or soon. I see much more complexity and pleasure happening here in this fine Grosset, the finish is cool, steely with a whisper of verbena, apricot and some savory elements along with a whiff of mineral/shale, there is no pronounced diesel or petrol notes at this point, though I imagine in a bit of time that and waxy qualities will emerge as so often does. Drink now and often, but be sure to hide a few away too, drink from 2015 to 2029, this is a beauty!
($52 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive
