Vinoculation

From the slopes of Mt Canobolas in Orange, New South Wales, comes another wine from the Patina stable. The colour is a pale, light yellow and the aromas comprise mineral, talc, lemon, orange blossom and, like the back label suggests, pear (odd for Riesling). Borne of one of Australia’s cooler climate regions, winemaker Gerald Naef has kept with the Aussie trend of producing a drier style. He does it well.

 The acidity on the palate is lively and crunchy, swathed in citrus fruit, without being dominant or piercing as many can in their youth. The flavours on the palate cross over into lemon/lime spectrum, not intense, but not dilute either; an elegant, restrained and lithe Riesling that is scarily easy to drink (even for Riesling). The finish is kept in check, with just the slightest hint of astringency buoying the length and mouthfeel. I thought it was sensational with linguine marinara, though any seafood-related dish would suffice. A bargain wine that comes with a strong endorsement.