Wine Type: Off-dry white

(2025) Coming in from a single block of Riesling and made with 15g/l of residual sugar, this Kabbinet style wine is a delight. Showing a little more petrol/wax than the dry Riesling aromatically, there's a lovely filigree character of lime and floral aromas that is beguiling. I get something very reminiscent of ripe Ogen melon too, and have that on the palate; that hint of the tropical in amongst the shimmering cirtus and juicy nectaring ripeness of the acidity. Absolutely delicious.

(2025) With 24.6g/l or residual sugar and 14% alcohol this is a Gewurz in the Alsace style: full, textured and aromatic with weight and presence. Hallmark notes of lychee, Mandarin orange and exotic spicing are the aromas, then the palate flows with juicy and exotic fruit. The sweetness is there, making this a banker for spicy Chinese cuisine, but the balance is impeccable, then there's the mouth-filling texture, to leave this substantial, clean and delicious.

(2025) Li loved this vintage of Riverby's off-dry Riesling that sits somewhere between the laser focus of the Mosel and lush texture of Alsace. A hypothetical fruit crossing peach and lime is joined by a classic beeswax note on the nose, the palate is gorgeously sweet and luscious, yet the roughening textural edge like peach skin and the ravishing acidity core like the crispiest apple extends the juicy finish. Fabulous stuff.

(2025) From Rheinhessen, this comes from a family winery and brothers Peter and Fritz May who have travelled widely: Peter having worked in Marlborough, Fritz with Geoffrey Grosset in Australia and in Austria. There's quite a luscious aspect to the nose honeyed with nectarine, even a hint of Botrytis. The palate is relatively simple, though enjoyable, the medium-sweet palate of very ripe apple and pear balanced by just enough acidity.

(2024) Great to have a chance to taste this eight-year-old vintage of Cantina Tramin's Nussbaumer, made from selected vineyard parcels of Gewürztraminer. It is made from vines that are 40 years old, and aged on the lees in stainless steel. Intense leafy and floral notes almost like geranium leaf, with some Nivea cream and lychee. Luscious, weighty and off-dry, it fills the mouth with creamy texture, spice and tropical fruit married to a pithy, bracing acid note in the finish. Note price and stockist is for the most recent vintage at time of review.

(2024) This organic certified Riesling from actor Sam Neill's Two Paddocks estate is in the just off-dry style of so many Rieslings from the Central Otago area. Floral, talcum power overtones sit on crisp apple. The palate has that light sherbet sweetness, but a big juicy thrust of lime acidity powers through, then the peach-down hint of tropicality reasserts. This finishes dry and decisive, the clean acid framework winning the day.

(2024) Pleasing floral and lime fresh aromatics, hints of spring flowers, no waxy/mineral notes to speak of. A fair bit of residual sugar here, pitching this firmly into off-dry to medium-sweet territory, plenty of peachy, ripe fruit against a balancing orange acidity. Aperitif style, and well done.

(2024) Always a delight, this 9.5% alcohol Kabinett-style Riesling has more weight and voluptuous texture than might be expected in a Mosel or Rhine example, but has pin-point accurate acid balance too. Hints of beeswax and ginger to lovely stone fruit and lime aromas, the sweet and deliciously pure fruit on the palate. The acid balance offsets the sweetness and hints of exotic, tropical fruit beautifully.

(2024) Vintage after vintage I really enjoy this wine. It's the only wine in the Riverby Estate portfolio where the fruit does not come from their own vineyard, hence the sub-brand, Cicada. It's a lovely wine, just off dry but with loads of substance and a bite of dry extract to add to the seriousness. All the hallmark notes of lychee and rose petal are there, but the peachy ripeness of the mid-palate fruit and the way it merges into that crisp, powerful finish whilst retaining a hint of szechuan-friendly sweetness, is marvellous.

(2024) Ultra reliable, just off-dry Riesling, this comes from a dedicated block of the Riverby vineyard. Slate and wet river stones, with a very delicate waxiness. Yellow apple and lime fruit, something a little floral too? Peachy sweet as it strikes the palate, but bracing acidity slices through that fruit juiciness and sweetness. Rounded and creamy-textured, it's both sophisticated and crowd-pleasingly delicious.