(2020) Lovely sweetness suggested over the limey pure fruit. A tiny bit of a kerosene or waxy character in the background, some floral notes. Beautiful fruit, luscious and peachy, but then the tension of apple cores and citrus, a fantastic acidity streaming to the finish. Price and stockist is for a previous vintage at time of review.
(2020) Very clean, very fresh, a real punch of zestiness, a bit of stone Fruit, develops a bit of nice weight on the palate, not oily, but just a fairly substantial weight, and long, shimmering finish. Bone dry feeling in the finish. No UK retail stockists at time of review
(2020) What a terrific wine, just starting to mature. A blend of 70/30 Sauvigon and Semillon, the Semillon fermented and matured in all new French oak. Lovely nose, a bit of herbaceous character, a bit of oily green bean, the creaminess of the background oak, there is a burst of fruit, the lemon and lime jelly acidity is truly lovely. It's three years since I tasted this last, and it has put on a little weight and complexity since. No UK stockist at time of review.
(2020) Gently herbaceous, a coolness to the fruit, a touch of exotic fruit comes through, then on the palate lovely balance - not too herbaceous, a big thread of dry and pithy acidity, and a touch of minerals/salts at the finish.
(2020) Younger more pear drop and confectionary notes than the 2018, lemon jelly, a little yeasty character, then fresh, pure and long citrus finish. Dry in the finish and a bit of grip. Very young.
(2020) Nice peppery note to the cool, firm white fruit. Lovely palate, full of fruit and bursting with zesty orange flavour. Long and deliciously spicy, a touch of sours in the finish.
(2017) Austria's Grüner Veltliner is gaining some traction in southern hemisphere vineyards - I reported recently on a small enclave in Australia's Adelaide Hills - but Marlborough has also taken to the variety. Only the third vintage for Riverby, this has succulent pear on the nose, limey citrus and a hint of mineral salts. There's a delicious weight to the fruit on the palate, texture and silkiness, the sheerness of the citrus acidity sweeps through, cutting rather more tropical fruit flavours to finish dry. A really very good expression of Gru-V. Note: price and stockist quoted at time of review is for the 2014 vintage.
(2017) The blend is 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, the Semillon (and a small portion of the Sauvignon) fermented and matured in new French oak for eight months. Oak does not show on the nose, in fact it is the asparagus and green bean pungency of the Jacksons Road Sauvignon from Kevin's best block that sings out, just a hint of custard and delicate spice beneath perhaps. In the mouth the Semillon certainly adds texture, and flavour, creaminess, spice and butter layered with the bold Sauvignon gooseberry and grapefruit. Long and intensely concentrated.
(2017) Another delicious Riesling this, off-dry and peachy to the nth degree, it comes from one of the oldest vineyard blocks that regularly develops a little botrytis. As well as peach, a touch of candle wax and lime skins, there's a hint of smoky minerals and a hint of floral top-note in quite a complex aromatic profile. The palate is grapefruity and tangy, the hint of sweetness offset by lots of pithy citrus cut, finishing with lots of zest and bittersweet grapefruit in a hugely quaffable style.
(2017) The hallmark of all of these Riverby wines is a lovely blend of restraint and elegance, with more vivacious and ebullient fruit character, and so it is with this Sauvignon: make no mistake, this is vivacious and bears its Marlborough signature of green bean and asparagus pungency along with tropical fruit exoticism, but there's a rounding, lightly savoury aspect too. Cropped low so that it is intense, 4g/l of residual sugar adds some mouthfeel and fat but not perceptible sweetness.