Dukes Single Vineyard Riesling 2024

Accolades

94 points, Wine Pilot
Another terrific and impressive Riesling from this small Great Southern vineyard. The colour is pale straw with a brilliant bright luminosity. Floral and slightly lemony characters on the nose edge into the spicy palate with its taut linear structure and nice minerality to finish. Will handle medium-term cellaring.

93 points, The Real Review
Bright light to mid yellow colour; the aromas are of dried flowers, bread-dough and boronia, with some dried herb touches, while the palate is soft and gentle, rounded and easygoing, approachable already and yet vibrantly fresh and pure. The palate is very dry, yet has richness. A generous yet refined riesling of delightfully ample, rounded flavour allied with refinement and balance, the finish appetising and more-ish.

92 points, Halliday Wine Companion
A more open, weave, approachable expression with vibrant citrus, green apple, lemon verbena, and gingery fruit characters at play. The soft texture with a gentle crunch is appealing, the finish a cavalcade of mixed citrus pithiness and pleasing, gentle bitterness with drying refreshment. There’s good flavour and character here, albeit in a relatively simple frame.

Tasting Notes

The 2024 Duke’s Vineyard Riesling presents in a pale straw hue with green edges, showcasing its youthful vibrancy. On the nose, it’s an aromatic delight, with a bouquet of crushed lime, orange citrus blossom, green pineapple, yellow delicious apple, and papaya.

On the palate, the wine is ripe and floral, with sub-tropical notes framed by jasmine and lime pith. There’s a balance of powerful fruit sweetness, with tropical flavours of green mango and papaya shining through. The wine’s focus is enhanced by a saline edge, giving it a wonderful texture that complements its fresh, fruity character.

Vintage Conditions

2024 is remembered as one of the earliest harvests on record for Duke’s Vineyard, with the entire vintage completed a day before the 2023 harvest began. Warm temperatures in late September and October accelerated budburst and flowering, compressing the growing season. Despite heat spikes in late January and February, careful vineyard management and irrigation ensured the fruit reached optimal ripeness. The result is a wine with intense aromatics, ripe fruit, and a beautiful balance of freshness and concentration.

Winemaking

The 2024 Single Vineyard Riesling comes from a young block of Riesling, known as the “baby Magpie Hill,” with free-run juice from both the young and old blocks. The fruit was hand-picked and chilled overnight before being whole bunch pressed to preserve its pristine, aromatic juice. The wine was fermented cool in stainless steel tanks with a selected aromatic yeast and aged on lees for two months to enhance its texture and mouthfeel. Bottled in June, this wine is ready to be enjoyed straight away.

Food Pairing Suggestions

• Tempura Whiting – The delicate flavours of the fish will complement the Riesling’s crisp acidity and tropical fruit notes.
• Scallop Ceviche with Lime Oil – The citrusy zing and freshness of ceviche will enhance the wine’s vibrant citrus and floral qualities.
• Fromage Blanc with Fingerlime and Saltbush – A rich, creamy cheese paired with the zesty tang of fingerlime and saltbush will balance the wine’s freshness and fruitiness.

Best Serving Temperature:

Serve chilled at 8-10°C to highlight the wine’s refreshing acidity and aromatic intensity. If stored in a fridge, leave out for 5 mins before drinking.

Wine Analysis

• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Acidity: 7.3 g/L
• pH: 3.05
• Residual Sugar: 4.0 g/L

Awards

• Top 100 Winery – The Real Review
• Halliday Top 5-Star Winery

The 2024 Duke’s Vineyard Single Vineyard Riesling is an exceptional wine that offers a bright, aromatic expression of Riesling, combining freshness and complexity in a beautifully balanced package. Perfect for immediate enjoyment or medium-term cellaring, it’s a wine that’s sure to impress now and age gracefully over time.

FAQ Wine Terms

• Taut linear structure: This refers to the wine having a firm and crisp feel on the palate, with its acidity giving it a structured and clean finish – like a straight line, not too soft or flabby.
• Residual sugar: This is the amount of sugar that remains in the wine after fermentation. In simple terms, it adds sweetness to the wine. In this case, the Riesling has just a touch (4.0 g/L), which keeps it on the dry side while still giving some fruit sweetness.
• Free-run juice: This refers to the juice that flows naturally from the grapes when they’re pressed, without any additional force. It’s typically more delicate and has less tannin compared to juice that’s pressed harder.
• Lees: These are the dead yeast cells and other particles that remain in the wine after fermentation. Aging the wine “on lees” means allowing the wine to sit with these particles, which adds body, texture, and complexity.
• pH: This measures the acidity of the wine. A lower pH means the wine is more acidic (crisper, sharper), while a higher pH means the wine is softer. In this case, the Riesling’s pH of 3.05 means it has a refreshing, tangy acidity that balances its fruitiness.
• Acidity: This refers to the sharpness or tartness in the wine, often perceived as a crisp, refreshing quality. Higher acidity is great for keeping wines fresh and helps them pair well with food.