NEW 2023 Rivulet Glaziers Bay Riesling

"This is both seriously pure and seriously intense. It then has the length to match. It tastes of Granny Smith apple and freshly squeezed lime, mostly, though slate, crushed rock and blackcurrant bud characters also play roles. The fruit flavour here, and also the acidity, are both quite something."
- 95 points. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

"A lovely riesling from Keira O'Brien.... Pale straw with green flashes and an attractive aromatic profile of freshly squeezed lime, green apple, Christmas lily, crushed stone and a whiff of ozone. Detailed and tight with a lovely sense of tension and clarity, finishing sapid and fruit pure with plenty of drive."
- 94 points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

Rivulet was born in 2018 from my love of Riesling. With just 2 tonnes of old vine Riesling from the Bream Creek Vineyard and a desire to save Tasmania's oldest commercial planting of the variety, a deeply satisfying pursuit of crafting modest amounts of textural and expressive wine from special vineyards has grown. However, the opportunity to work with old vine Riesling again has proved elusive.

Miniscule yields in 2023 were frustrating for growers around Tasmania and not ideal for small negociant producers like Rivulet. I was very fortunate to access old vine Riesling from the Elsewhere Vineyard, the source for our Glaziers Bay single vineyard wines. Elsewhere is a magical place, located about an hour south of Hobart, between Huonville and Cygnet. It's in the deep south of Tasmania, at the edge of viticultural possibility. The vineyard is cradled by rolling green hills, gently sloping down toward the mirror still Huon River. Each time I visit, I can barely believe my luck - to make wine from such a breathtakingly beautiful place.

100% Riesling from 40 and 25 year old vines was handpicked and chilled, before whole bunch pressing with oxidative handling. Cloudy juice was racked to seasoned French oak for ferment, followed by maturation on full lees. Barrel stirring and retention of 8 grams residual sugar provides the wine with richness and texture, while glittering acidity and minerality combine to provide tension and drive.

Total production 1600 bottles. 

Drink: Now to 2035