A Taste of History: The Evolution of Riesling Wines in Australia - LovingLocal
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two glasses of riesling wine

A Taste of History: The Evolution of Riesling Wines in Australia

Australia is blessed to have a delightful and warm climate. Even though the climate is not the same in all Australian regions, it’s still warm and pleasant. Knowing this, it really isn’t strange that Australia’s wine regions are perfect for producing some of the world-known wines like the Riesling wines. In fact, they are one of the most favoured ones of the many types of white wines for many reasons. But the Australian ones are known for their freshness, purity and clarity which makes them one of the better tasting Riesling white wines.

What Is the History of Riesling Wine?

a glass of Riesling wine in the vineyard
source: wanderlustmagazine.com

The history of the Australian Riesling started in 1817 when John Macarthur imported vines and in 1833 James Busby who is also considered the father of Australian wine. Soon after this, the varietal Riesling was spread in many Australian areas that nowadays are one of the most renowned for making classic wines. In fact, it is said that it was the Silesian settlers who first started making Riesling in Australia.
This wine is all about creating tension and balance, however, it can also be made as extremely fruity and rich wine, and since Australian wine endeavours were more in demand of fruit, clean and sweeter wines over the tense and oxidative wines, it was in 1930 when Australians started to explore and introduce new technology. And, it was the very same year when Alfred Basedow started using a refrigerator to cool white wine at the Stanley Wine Company in the Clare Valley. Over the years, a lot of wine technologies have been implemented and a lot of wine experiments have been done, so it isn’t strange that nowadays, this Australian wine is among the best ones in the world.

The Characteristics of the Australian Riesling

Riesling is a delicate and expressive type of wine that grows best in climates with cooler nights. When grown in those regions which are influenced by the cooling effects of the ocean breeze for instance, the wine results in having higher acid levels, a more delicate aroma and a dazzling flavour. When grown in its warmer regions, the result is tasty and incredibly flavoured Riesling wines which are hard to resist. When grown in such climates, the vines require low-fertility soil to keep their vigour and yield down. The grape cultures of this wine are quite small and they can range in shape from a round to a more cylindrical shape.

In order to retain their freshness, aroma and flavour, the winemakers from the Clare Valley invented the screw-cap revolution in the 1970s. The first trials were made by Yalumba with Pewsey Vale Riesling and Orlando, who bottled a specific wine of the variety. Even though a lot of people considered this as a cheap way of sealing wines, it has proved to be one of the best. The results were amazing and ever since, the screw caps became a part of the everyday Australian wine.

You may not know, but it is said that the best Australian wines of this variety can be cellared for decades without losing their richness, tasty character, acidity and floral-fruity character. The screw cup is used mainly for this, to prevent oxidation, cork taint and any kind of malfunctions that can happen in wines with corks.

It was in 2000 when the Australians adopted their Australian-specified screw cap. This has set the standard, and until 2016, 98% of all whites in Australia and New Zealand were sealed with such cups.

The Most Popular Wine Regions in Australia

wine region in Australia
source: theguardian.com

When it comes to producing a wine of this kind, it can be said that Clare and Eden Valleys are synonymous with this wine variety. However, many others have proven worthy of being among the best valleys for Australian Riesling production.

Clare Valley

This is one of the most popular regions for making this wine. It’s known for its dry, fresh, citrus and fruit characteristics. It has a rich flavour which seems perfect for balancing everything, especially its natural acidity.

Eden Valley

The Riesling white wines from this region are considered to be among the oldest in the whole world. The white wine coming from this region has delicate floral aromas and lime juicy flavour which makes it more acidic. The more aged it is, the more balanced its acidity, all thanks to its honey-like notes.

Canberra District

The white wine from this variety in this region is dry, complex and crispier.

Henty

The wine from this region is elegant and it has a normal acidity. Located in the southwest corner of Victoria, its volcanic-like soil and cold climate are perfect for producing Riesling.

Tasmania

Given the fact that Tasmania is pretty cold in comparison to the rest, it isn’t strange that this white wine variety here is acidic, bright and pure.

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