Palandri (Australia) Boundary Road Dry Riesling 2005
I have only recently returned from Australia where I had been invited to judge the 6th Annual National Riesling Challenge. Over three days the panel of judges blind tasted 280 Australian Rieslings, and awarded trophies to the very top wines. Winner of the ‘open class’ trophy was the 2004 Palandri Estate Dry Riesling, a remarkable feat given that the 2003 vintage had won exactly the same award in the previous year’s Challenge. This wine comes from Western Australia, and is bottled with a screwcap. It has a beautifully fresh scent of lemon zest, a gentle floral note and a fine, juicy suggestion of ripe nectarine. There is something mineral too – even salty – in a delicate, endlessly nuanced aromatic profile. On the palate it is crisp, dazzlingly clean with lime and lemon fruit, and shot through with a grapefruity acidity. Absolutely thrilling stuff and will cellar for a few years too. 5.99, The Co-op
