Although some of these tasting notes may be found elsewhere on this site, this page brings together most of my Riesling notes, listed alphabetically by Producer. Click here for rating systems and abbreviations.

Kaimira Estate Iti Selection Brightwater Riesling 2011 (sc) Pale in colour with a delicate honeysuckle scent, perfectly balanced acidity hones this medium sweet wine to perfection. It's a juicy, lower alcohol style with zesty apple to the fore, hints of citrus and honeysuckle and a long, refreshing and lingering finish. 'Iti' is Maori for small, in reference to the alcohol. 10% alc. $19.99. 7Sep2011.

Auburn Lowburn Central Otago Riesling 2010 (sc) Immediately sweet and redolent with citrus blossoms and honeysuckle scents, it's sweet to the taste, but a succulent juicy sweetness rather than a honeyed sweetness, with racy acidity giving it impeccable balance. A gorgeous Spatlese style from Central Otago's new specialist Riesling star, Auburn is a label to watch. 64 g/l rs. 10.5% alc. $32.99. 16Feb2011.

Bird Old Schoolhouse Marlborough Vineyard Riesling 2010 (sc) Straw in colour with a delicate sense of sweetness to the floral bouquet. Clean, crisp and refreshing with terrific acid tension to balance the delicious juicy fruit sweetness with an undercurrent of honeysuckle and ginger. A lovely summer wine that's just off dry in style. 12% alc. $19.99. 13Oct2010.
Straw in colour with a rich, citrussy, almost lime marmalade bouquet. Off dry to the taste with zippy acidity underpinning the fruity sweetness and a hint of spearmint. Quite a powerful Riesling that stands up well to cheese. 12% alc. $16.99. 6Apr2011.

Bouldevines Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) This seems quite a quiet Riesling, in that the aromas don't really jump out of the glass at you but it's a different story in the palate. Delicate citrus blossom, honeysuckle and tingles of lime on the nose and racy lemon / lime flavours, the bright fresh acidity enlivening the taste with a tantaslising touch of mandarin zest and a crisp apple finish. Well balanced in a classic, just 'off dry' style. $19.95. 12.5% alc. 1Mar2011.

Fallen Angel Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) Sweet apple scents lead into a medium dry palate with racy acidity and a slaty texture. Loads of lemon and lime with honeysuckle bringing it all into balance. Some flint and green apple notes provide austerity, so despite the juicy sweetness, it finishes exceedingly dry. What I like about this wine is the way it evolves in the palate and the honeysuckle / citrus flavours linger for ages. 11.5% alc. $19.99. 23Feb2011.

Felton Road Bannockburn Central Otago Riesling 2010 (sc) This tantalisingly aromatic Riesling is pale straw gold with scents that are reminiscent of fruit salad and quince. When first tasted it is surprisingly sweet with delicious flavours of passionfruit and mandarin but flinty phenolics add an earthy edge, there's a very subtle suggestion of spritz and zingy acidity keeps everything in balance. Riesling aficionados will love this and it can be super chilled too. 9% alc. $33.99. 2Feb2011.

Felton Road Dry Central Otago Riesling 2010 (sc) This straw lemon coloured wine is delicately scented in the Spiegelau glass and tastes dry, almost bone dry, with great acid tension. It has a mouth-filling richness with concentrated lime and mandarin, and a hint of pineapple coming through too. It's bright and refreshing, the fresh citrussy flavour lasts and lasts and the wine in the bottle will too. 12.5% alc. $33.99. 20Jul2011.

Forrest The Doctors' Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) Tangy and bright with lashings of fresh juicy citrus acidity and tropical fruit this straw-coloured Riesling seems off-dry in style with a mouthwatering long finish that's underpinned by a taut flinty character that brings the fruit sweetness into balance. A quenching, summer days wine and note the alcohol – just what the doctor ordered! 8.5% alc. $19.99. 24Nov2010.
A medium style, clean and pure, fresh and bright, classic in its expression with sweet citrus and honeysuckle and a long quenching finish. A permanent favourite at First Glass and one of the best low alcohol Rieslings around. 9.5% alc. $19.99. 23Feb2011.
Pale lemon with a slight lemonade scent, there's racy acidity and moderate sweetness to the taste. Ultra-juicy, a touch flinty – served chilled it seems so much richer that the 8.5% alcohol hints. Powerful and exciting with apple blossoms, tropical fruit and excellent length. The Doctors' is earning a reputation as one of NZ's top Rieslings. 8.5% alc. $19.99. 6Jul2011.

Hunters Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) Tight, pithy aroma. A little spritzy in palate. Juicy, thirst quenching and very drinkable. Tangy acidity is well-balanced and the wine finishes dry, coating the mouth and leaving behind a burst of lemon and lime. 13% alc. $18.99. 23Feb2011.

Olssens 'Annieburn' Central Otago Riesling 2010 (sc) Pale straw with a 'white diamond' edge - ever so slightly oily in appearance. Taut acidity tempers the sweetness, which makes it seem of the dry side of medium in style. Served chilled it is hugely refreshing with flavours of heritage apples, a slither of lime and a long tangy finish. 9.5% alc. $32.99. 19Jan2011.

Kurow Pasquale Waitaki Valley Riesling 2010 (sc) There's a fine seam of lemon and hints of lemon-scented thyme and something that's almost like pepper on the nose of this powerful rendition of Riesling that can even stand up to a pre dinner nibble of tomatoes and blue cheese on crackers. The bouquet evolves beautifully and the palate is rich and weighty with ripe citrus flavours packing a punch and the thirst-quenching finish has balance and roundness. It's seems very dry but there are some lovely floral intonations coming through and it leaves behind a sliver of sweetness - despite the low pH and excruciatingly high TA that on the Riesling scale would be considered dry. $30.00 S 12% alc. 1Mar2011.

Martinborough Vineyard Manu Riesling 2010 (sc) The floral bouquet of this medium to medium dry Riesling is quite delicate but the flavours are bright, mouthwatering and delicious. Filled with juicy apple and honey with a tarragon infusion and a lovely touch of mandarin zest, it has exquisite balance and harmony. 11.5% alc. $24.99. 23Feb2011.
Aromatic and delicately scented with a suggestion of lime juice, yet a surprisingly weighty palate with great intensity of flavour. Crisp and clean with lime and apple, an aura of liquid honey and a pineapple tropical fruit sweetness to the lingering finish, the key to the excellence of this wine is the balance of acidity to sweetness. M was for Martinborough & Manu. 11.5% alc. $24.99. 13Jul2011.

Misha's Vineyard Limelight Riesling 2010 – Bannockburn, Central Otago (sc) This water pale, medium-dry Riesling has a beguilingly aromatic citrus blossom and honeysuckle perfume and tastes mouth-wateringly juicy with edgy acidity to balance the grapey, red apple sweetness, an infusion of spice, and a seamless, silky texture. It's just delicious! 11.5% alc. $26.99. 4May2011.

Tohu Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) Very pale in colour with aromas of apple and pear while apple, citrus and honeysuckle fill the palate. A youthful wine, just off dry in style, with refreshing acidity to balance the juicy fruit sweetness and tropical fruit, with hints of passionfruit lingering on the bright, clean finish. 12.5% alc. $16.99 10Nov2010.
Floral with apple skin scents, it's citrussy and juicy to the taste with lemon and apple reigning supreme and honeysuckle nuances on finish. Evolves to become moderately weighty and the racy acidity is bracing. 12.5% alc. $16.99. 23Feb2011.

Two Rivers 'Juliet' Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) Fresh and juicy and noticeably sweeter with an inviting bouquet of honeysuckle and sweet citrus and exciting tangy flavours with hints of ginger joining honey, tangelo and lime. 12% alc. $20.99. 29Sep2010.

Villa Maria Private Bin Dry Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) Bright and tangy with a rich, almost oily texture and scintillating juicy fresh citrus that cuts through any fat and tropical fruit bursting through on the long, dry and very tasty finish. 12.5% alc. $12.99. 25Nov2010.
Vanilla biscuit and citrus aromas and a zesty undercurrent to the apple and tropical fruit flavours. Fresh when chilled to the bone, like it was when tasted, with a touch of lemon pith and a lingering crisp dry finish. 12.5% alc. $12.999 4May2011.

West Brook Marlborough Riesling 2010 (sc) A more earthy, malic style with floral and citrus aromatics, it's medium dry in style with mid palate fruit sweetness and good acid balance. At first it seems a little shy but it bursts out of its shell and builds in power with a weighty richness and flavours of quince and lime. A very good wine to age. 11.5% alc. $18.99. 23Feb2011.
Pale coloured, with a fresh-cut lemon aroma, and lemony flavours, like fresh lemons just picked off the tree. With a weighty mid palate and a crisp dry finish, it's reminiscent of a memories-of-childhood lemon and honey drink and the flavours linger for ages. 11.5% alc. $18.99. 10Aug2011.

Abbey Cellars Hawkes Bay Riesling 2009 (sc) Sewing machine oil on nose. More in palate. Really Germanic in style. Makes me think low alcohol with an oily texture yet it is also quite zesty and spicy with the heat of ginger behind it and a delicate nuance of flower musk. Really liked this. No discernible fruit but heaps of Riesling character. 11.5 % alc. $17.95. 4Nov2010.

Amisfield Central Otago Dry Riesling 2009 (sc) Fragrant pretty floral aromatics with some gris-like pear and zesty lime adding brightness and freshness, and a well-balanced palate where orange and limes play in harmony. Just a touch of sweetness with residual sugar that would make you think off dry, but the finish is dry, crisp and racy with a tsip-tsip-tsip finish (do you know what I mean). 12.2% alc. 7.7g/l rs. $30. 9Oct2009.

Astrolabe 'Astrolabe Farm' Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Straw lemon. Mandarin and honeysuckle scents. Light, fresh, juicy and refreshing, lightly honeyed with lots of tangy lemon flavours and zest. Light in texture and light in alcohol, this moderately sweet wine is like a lemon and honey drink and must be chilled to enhance that balancing backbone of acidity. 9% alc. $17.50. 27Nov2009.

Bouldevines Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Aromatic with perhaps a hint of toastiness, grapefruit is the immediate fruit impression. It's dry but not bracing with a talc-like slipperiness to the texture and lime peel characters coming through. An excellent example of a dry Marlborough Riesling. Try this with Greek Salad made with white Balsamic. 12.5% alc. $20. 8Jan2010.
Now this is definitely dry, tight, linear and bracing with lime and green apple flavour building in the palate that has mid palate richness and texture. Natural fruit sweetness nicely balances the acidity. 12.5% alc. $15.99. 24Feb2010.

Clos St William Waipara Riesling 2009 (sc) This light gold-coloured wine has lovely richness and roundness with honey, tangelo juice, tangelo zest and even a hint of rose petal. At the ripest end of the Riesling spectrum, when served chilled it has well-balanced soft acidity, a lovely slippery texture and flavours of red apple coming through. A Riesling for Pinot Gris drinkers. 12.5% alc. $22.99. 1Dec2010.

Domain Road Central Otago Riesling 2009 (sc) Aromatic, fragrant, floral scents introduce this crisp, dry, juicy style with lemon curd, tropical fruit and lavender nuances and a touch of honey on the finish. Really suits being chilled. Technically an 'off dry' style. 13% alc. $19.99. 24Feb2010.

Esk Valley Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) An off dry style with floral aromas and juicy flavours with lots of freshly squeezed mandarin and oranges with a touch of ginger, bright tangy zest and a memory of Granny Smith apples. 12% alc. $16.99. 25Nov2009.

Felton Road Central Otago Riesling 2009 (sc) A medium sweet Riesling that's so reminiscent of a manuka honey and freshly squeezed lemon drink with just a hint of ginger. Shows lovely fresh acid-driven purity to balance the honey-like sweetness with an earthy bee pollen character running through it and zingy finish. Best served well chilled to further pronounce the nervy acidity. 10%alc. $NA. 4Aug2010.

Forrest The Doctors Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Very pale in colour with perfumed, floral, sweet citrus scents, this tastes sweetish too with lots of tropical juiciness, spiced apple, limes and a light viscosity to the texture. There's a tug of acidity behind the moderately sweet veneer and the quenching flavours persist for ages. 40 grams per litres of residual sugar. 8.5% alc. $19.99. 18Nov2009.
Quite honeyish and medium sweet with a lovely tug of sweet citrus acidity, juicy tropical fruit and honeysuckle. A delicate style of Riesling - light bodied with light alcohol, yet persistent, and long. 40 grams per litres of residual sugar. 8.5% alc. $19.99. 24Feb2010.

Goldridge Estate Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Earthy aroma. Steely, a little spritzy, apple and ginger with a fat honeyed richness behind it and then a zing of marmalade - good tug of sweetness and acidity. Interesting, intriguing. 13 % alc. $15.95. 4Nov2010.

Greenhough Apple Valley Riesling 2009 (sc) A delicious Nelson Riesling - light, bright, fresh and zesty - like freshly squeezed orange, mandarins and limes with a touch of ginger and honeysuckle sweetness. Most of all the exciting tanginess to the finish and old-fashioned yellow skinned apple the lasting memory. 10% alc. 32 g/l rs. $19.00. 24Oct2009.

Hawkshead Central Otago Bendigo Riesling 2009 (sc) Earthy on the nose but so fruity and juicy to the taste - this piercing style of Riesling has loads of green and red apple flavours with a tickle of ginger. The well-balanced fruit sweetness that tames the quivering acidity and leaves a gentle impression in the mouth. 9.5g/l rs. 13% alc. $22. 16Feb2010.

Main Divide Waipara Riesling 2009 (sc) Light gold in colour, the perfume is musky - a little reminiscent of Cecile Brunner rose initially, then mandarin aromas cone to the fore. Fresh and fruity with a zesty impression, a tingle of spritz adding to this effect, it's full of juicy apple, citrus and lime sherbet flavours with a touch of sweetness adding to its allure. 11.5% alc. Screwcap. $17.99. 7Jul2010.
A gorgeous floral bouquet full of honeysuckle and citrus blossoms - beautiful. Great seam of citrus-like acidity - tantalising sweet citrus -balances the off dry sweetness. There's a depth to this wine and an amazingly long finish. Delicious. Perfection. 11.5 % alc. $19.95. 4Nov2010.

Mills Reef Hawkes Bay Riesling 2009 (sc) Lemon gold. Delicate citrus zest and honey suckle aromas lead into an off dry mouthful of spicy, zesty, tangy flavours with a honeysuckle sweetness coming through to balance the citrussy tartness. There's a talc-like smoothness to the texture and juicy the finish is long and balanced. 13% alc. $17.95. 15Dec2009.

Misha's Limelight Central Otago Riesling 2009 (sc) The scent hints of moderate sweetness and the flavours exude apple, lime and honeysuckle with hints of tropical fruit and just a touch of oiliness to the texture. A concentrated style with a weighty finish and later, when the wine has warmed up, there's a strong sense of grapefruit. I think this is going to develop beautifully like the 2008 has with that extra year of age. 26g/l rs. 11.9% alc. $26. 18Nov2009.
Light lemon gold in colour the aromas radiate sweet ripe tropical fruit and the flavours brim with honey tinged with apricot, tangelo and lime. Moderately viscous in texture with musk and honeysuckle lingering, this is a medium sweet style that can be very well chilled. 11.9% alc. $25.99. 30Jun2010.

Mt Difficulty Target Gully Central Otago Riesling 2009 (sc) Gorgeous tropical fruit aromas hinting of passionfruit with a tantalising aura of lime. A medium sweet style (35 to 40 grams per litre of residual sugar) with racy acidity to balance the sweetness, a light viscosity to the texture and an overlay of nectar. With its pineapple FruJu iceblock flavours it's easy to imagine this being frozen into iceblocks - imagine sucking on the Target Gully iceblocks to quench the thirst on a hot, humid February day. Absolutely yum. My rating 5 stars. 9.5% alc. $26.99. 24Feb2010.
Pale lemon with enticing floral, mandarin and tropical fruit scents and juicy, lightly sweetish, apple and citrus with an enchanting hint of flower musk and just a tickle of spritz on the finish. Medium sweet with just the right amount of acidity to add a racy edge. 11% alc. $26.99. 19May2010.

Muddy Water Estate Dry Waipara Riesling 2009 (sc) Light gold with a pleasing lustre to the hue. Lime and other citrus abounds on the nose with a toasty nuance and perhaps a hint of honeysuckle. Loads of citrus in the palate together with crisp apple acidity and a touch of honeyed sweetness to bring it all into balance. There's a delicate, creamy, lime curd kind of character, hints of lemon grass and Royal Gala apples adding crispness to the lingering finish which becomes quite rounded. 12% alc. $29.00. 26Jan2010.

Olssen's Annieburn Central Otago Riesling 2009 (sc) A rich, concentrated style of Riesling with lime and juicy apple to the fore, it has lowish alcohol with enough residual sugar to put it in the medium sweet category, but high acidity gives an impression of dryness. Young and tight at this stage of its life, it is destined to develop beautifully with a little more time. 10.5% alc. $27.99. 14Apr2010.

Palliser Estate Martinborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Pale lemon in colour, this fresh, young Riesling has honeysuckle, lime and apple aromas and a tickle of spritz on the palate. A weighty wine with a delicate touch, it has tangy citrus and a hint of tropical fruit. A versatile Riesling that's just off dry in style. 13% alc. $13.99. 5May2010.

Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2009 – Waipara (sc) Yellow gold coloured with a vibrancy to the floral perfume that's infused with candied grapefruit peel. Slightly oily in texture with kumquat, aromatic spices and some spritzy notes coming through. Refreshing and crisp, and although labelled 'dry', there's some botrytis influence that adds an extra dimension of honeyed sweetness. A complex, full-bodied Riesling with a lasting finish. 14% alc. $30.99. 13Oct2010.
In natural light it's a creamy yellow gold colour with hints of lime curd and marmalade joining flowers and pollen on the bouquet, there's a suggestion of spritz to the texture and the flavours are bright and zesty with honeysuckle, beeswax, grapefruit and pineapple. It's rich, oily, full-bodied and weighty without ever losing delicacy and finesse. And although the label says 'Dry', there's a portion of botrytis in this wine and the tropical fruit finish is juicy and sweet. The back label says it is fermented with indigenous yeasts. 18.5/20. $31.95 S 14% alc. 13Dec2010.

Neudorf Brightwater Riesling 2009 - Nelson (sc) Light lemon gold. Earthy, pithy aroma. Young, tight, austere kind of Riesling. Plenty of acidity with a fruit sweetness coming through to make the finish more rounded and pleasing than the start. A little plasticine and bubble gum in here too. Fails to excite when first opened, better a couple of days later. 16/20. $22.00 12.5% alc. 8.4 g/l rs. 8.4 g/l TA. 26Jan2010.

Richmond Plains Nelson Riesling 2009 (sc) Light gold. Floral aromatics with hints of citrus, definitely Riesling though not screaming it out. There's a nice kind of savouriness to the wines, a savouriness balancing the acidity, perhaps a herb flower scent? Which herb? Lovely balance in this wine - it floats across the palate with its silky texture and there's a touch of a honeyed richness coming through while the fruit is reminiscent of orange and tangelo with hints of stonefruit. Has a delicacy, a restraint, but everything is there and waiting to evolve. Good long finish with zesty acidity balancing the tangelo sweetness. Lovely to drink. 18/20.12.5% alc. $19.99. 26Jan2010.

Rimu Grove Nelson Riesling 2009 (sc) Dry earthy, a hint of plasticine to scent so it is surprising to find it off-dry and delicately honeyed in palate - yet the acid creeps up and hits you in the face on the finish. Love the purity of this wine. Lime, mandarin, florals and sweet apple with a smidgen of honey. Very true to type and easy to drink. Chilling adds concentration. 12 % alc. $29.00. 4Nov2010.

Saint Clair Premium Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Earthy nose, but a very subdued aroma when chilled. Seems quite dry with a kick of lemon coming through yet juicy and refreshing. Chilling brings out a spritziness but also a little astringency. 12 % alc. $20.95. 4Nov2010.

Seresin Estate Marlborough Memento Riesling 2009 (sc) Pale coloured, spritzy lime on nose with melon jam and citrus, a hint of kero too. Just off dry, lovely richness and power, lovely smooth texture, honeysuckle, sweet citrus, tropical fruit and a little honey coming through on the finish. Some toasty notes creeping in. Not too aggressive. Served lightly chilled it's delicious. 10 % alc. $27.50. 4Nov2010.

Te Mania Nelson Riesling 2009 (sc) Lemon gold. Floral, citrussy aroma with a hint of bubble gum. A sweeter style, but not sure if sweetness makes the wine better. The bubble gum esters come through in palate indicating this wine is very young. Sweet citrus - tangelo / mandarin, a touch of honey, a little spice, underlying earthiness. Quite drinkable in a light, refreshing, zesty style. Good long finish. I think it will age well. Needs another year. 16/20. 12% alc. $18.99. 26Jan2010.

Toi Toi Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Light lemon in colour with sweet juicy aromatics, this medium weight Riesling smells off dry but is actually quite dry to the taste with flavours of lemon, green apple and lime with a touch of honeysuckle adding a hint of sweetness to the long dry finish. 13% alc. $19.99. 23Sep2009.
Zesty aromatics radiate juicy citrus and honeysuckle and the concentrated flavours deliver orange peel, lime and hints of tropical fruit. A medium dry Riesling with just enough sweetness to make it a deliciously juicy quaffer. 13% alc. Screwcap. $17.99. 18Aug2010.
A dry smelling Riesling, it tastes dry too- very dry with talc and lime and an underpinning of ginger. Lovely texture and some nuances that make me think Australian. 12 % alc. $19.99. 4Nov2010.

Vidal Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Very pale gold. A fresh, fruity Riesling with a sweet citrus and spring flower fragrance and juicy lemon and mandarin flavours with youthful acidity balanced perfectly by a juicy, tropical fruit sweetness. 13% alc. $15.99. 16Sep2009.

Villa Maria Dry Reserve Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) Concentrated scents of oyster shell, honeysuckle, lime. Racy acidity infiltrates the palate. There’s a salty minerality, and a palate-awakening crispness from the 9 grams of acidity (this is high) and even though it has 8 grams of residual sugar, on the International Riesling Scale it is considered dry. Made to be a serious wine, zingy lemon flavours linger. 11% alc. $23.99. 8Jun2011.

Waimea Nelson Classic Riesling 2009 (sc) Aromatic, citrus scents lead into a concentrated, weighty palate that, when chilled, is reminiscent of lemon and honey with a lovely orange zest brightness. Off dry in style with mouthwatering acidity to keep everything in balance. 12% alc. $17.99. 29Sep2010.
With honeysuckle, lime and apple-skin aromas, this juicy, mouth-watering Riesling is packed with an array of apple and citrus flavours with a touch of ginger and honey. It's just off dry with the sweetness beautifully balancing the nervy acidity and the finish is fresh and long. 12% alc. $17.99. 17Nov2010.

Westbrook Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) A refreshing, pale coloured Riesling with sweet citrussy scents, like late season mandarins, with a hint of ginger and lime sherbet. It's moderately dry but has a touch of touch of sweetness, a tickle of spritz from the ginger and lime and a juicy tropical fruit finish. 12% alc. $15.99. 25Nov2009.
Laced with citrus and honey, this just loves being chilled, the chilling adding verve to the delicious juicy mandarin and tropical fruit flavours. Off dry in style, it seems a little sweet on first tasting but the high acidity quickly brings that notion into check. Has developed beautifully since it was last tasted. 12% alc. $15.99. 24Feb2010.

Wild Earth Central Otago Riesling 2009 (sc) This is a pretty little thing. It's off dry to medium in sweetness level with citrus, spice, tropical fruit and plenty of zest. An easy drinking style with floral notes and hints of lime, it takes chilling well and is sure to please. 12% alc. 5Jan2011.

Wild South Marlborough Riesling 2009 (sc) A little different in the lineup. A powerful wine, plenty of apple, citrus and ginger, and the finish is long and full. Apples rule. Bit of SO2 perhaps. 12.5 % alc. $18.90. 4Nov2010.