Score: 90/100
The Envoy Range represents the highest level in Spy Valley offering, a winery famous and respected for its aromatic wines in particular.
The Envoy Riesling tasted today is sourced from the Johnson Vineyard, in the Wahopai valley, a sub-zone of the larger Marlborough region of New Zealand.
About the Johnson Vineyard, from the producer: “The top terrace site known as ‘D Block’ is superbly suited to the Germanic clones of Riesling GM110 and GM239 which best express this site and climate. The topsoil clay content combined with the free draining substrate reduces vine vigour and allows small berries on balanced vines to develop fully over the entire season.”
2013 was an exceptional vintage in New Zealand in general, with perfect ripening conditions provided by a long dry summer.
So how good in this Envoy Dry Riesling?
Tasting Notes:
Nice bright lemon-yellow color of mid-intensity.
The nose is explosive yet subtle dominated by citrusy notes.
It’s fresh and aromatically crispy lemon juice, but also lemon zest confit, and bergamote jam. The aromatic depth and complexity is lifted by delicate aromas of ginger, sweet petrol tones (whatever that means, it’s what comes to mind), and a touch of grassy aromas of fennel and fresh herbs.
You’ve got it, the nose is appealing, charming, deep, and complex with plenty of layers revealing themselves to your senses one after the other. Yum! Let’s dig in.
As per the tittle, the wine is dry, dominated by a crisp citrusy acidity that forms a long sharp backbone all along the tasting on the palate.
There is actually a touch of perceptible sweetness to it that puts the wine in balance, together with a mid-body and a touch of oily texture.
The sheer flavor intensity is revealed in the mouth.
Loads of big and bold aromas exploding as the wine warms up on the palate. The petrol/kerosene notes are more dominant here, together with an acidic lemon-lolly feel. There’s notes of wax, and the beginning of evolution character: honey, fenugrec.
The finish is super powerful, almost warming, and very long.
Overall: A deliciously luscious and aromatically very powerful and concentrated Riesling, with complexity balance and strong acidity.
When to drink?
Great to drink now and enjoy the fresh citrusy character and the ageing complexity the wine’s already developed. Wait no longer than 2 years unless you appreciate strong waxy oxidative characters much.
Food pairing:
The aromatic intensity will allow to match with powerful Asian dishes. Strong seafood meals won’t overpower the wine either and should mary the citrusy tones wonderfully.
Please let me know your thoughts