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All the medal-winning wines from the Global Riesling Masters 2022

The expressions in the Riesling Masters reminded our judges why they love wine, with thrilling drops from top producers in Germany, Chile, Australia, and Canada. 

Grapes: the medal-winning wines from the Global Riesling Masters

December’s Riesling competition – which was our final tasting of 2022 – proved “a joyous end” to our annual series, to quote longstanding Global Wine Masters judge Jonathan Pedley MW. Only a few days before the sampling session, Pedley had been taken to “the outer reaches of the vinous solar system”, when judging our inaugural Global Low and No Alcohol Wine Masters. As a result, he expressed his delight to be “back on earth” with Riesling. Indeed, praising its “crystalline purity and grace”, he said that this grape “reminded us why we love wine so much”.

Such a sentiment was shared by the rest of the judges, who took pleasure in tasting the myriad samples, many of which brought cheering refreshment to their palates, and smiles to their faces.

But such enjoyment didn’t hail from high-priced bottles. In fact, the delights of this day’s sampling could be experienced without major expense, with many of the top scoring wines selling for below £30, and one of the Gold medallists retailing for just £7.99. Declaring this sub-£10 sample a triumph, Pedley said its producers should be proud. It was only later on in the blind tasting that we learnt where it was from: Clare Valley, and sourced by Aldi for the discount retailers’ customers. This wasn’t the only Gold medal winning Riesling selling for less than £10. Retailing for just under this price was a sample from Germany, and another from Chile, although these were made in the medium-dry style, with 8.5g/l and 5g/l of residual sugar respectively. However, a large number of the top-scoring Rieslings of the competition were dry – with this style accounting for a Master, two Golds, and nine Silvers. Not only that, but the majority of these wines were from Australia, with Eden and Clare Valleys “flying the flag for premium dry Riesling outside Europe”, according to Pedley.

Among the off- and medium-dry wines, there were plenty of delicious Rieslings too. Although it was an Eden Valley Riesling from Australia that picked up the Master, it was the Germans that collected four Golds, followed by Chile, with two Golds, while New Zealand and Austria picked up one Gold each.

In contrast, the medium style of Riesling, with up to 45g/l, proved to be the weakest category, garnering two Silvers, but nothing deemed deserving of a higher medal. The wines seemed to lack flavour intensity, with Pedley commenting on “a lack of fruit definition and concentration”, along with “a waxy character that just did not thrill”.

But it was the sweetest Riesling that proved the most exciting wine of the day. This Master-winning sample was an Icewine from Canada with almost 200g/l of residual sugar. Unctuous, with layers of fruit flavours from raisins to apricot and orange zest, it was powerful and complex, while benefitting from Riesling’s remarkable natural acidity, ensuring that such a richly-sweet wine was still a refreshing drink.

Dry (up to 9 g/l)

Winery Name of wine Region Country Vint. Medal
Under £10
Aldi Ireland S/S Clare Valley Riesling Clare Valley Australia 2020 Gold
£10-£15
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Reserve Parcel Riesling Clare valley Australia 2022 Silver
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Estate Riesling Clare valley/ Adelaide Hills Australia 2022 Silver
£20-£30
Gatt Wines Gatt High Eden Riesling High Eden/Eden Valley Australia 2018 Master
Orlando Wines St Hugo Eden Valley Riesling Eden Valley Australia 2021 Silver
Lesehof Stagard Riesling Ried Braunsdorfer Kremstal Austria 2019 Silver
Penfolds Cellar Reserve Polish Hill Riesling Clare Valley Australia 2021 Silver
Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling Eden Valley Australia 2022 Silver
Arba Wine Ak Arba Riesling Almaty Oblast Kazakhstan 2016 Bronze
£30-£50
Orlando Wines Orlando Steingarten Riesling Eden Valley Australia 2020 Gold
Orlando Wines Orlando Steingarten Riesling Eden Valley Australia 2021 Silver
Wakefield/Taylors Wines St Andrews Riesling Clare Valley Australia 2022 Silver
Weingut August Eser Wisselbrunnen Riesling GG trocken
VDP.Grosse Gewächs
Rheingau Germany 2020 Silver

 

Medium Dry (up to 12 g/l)

Winery Name of wine Region Country Vint. Medal
Under £10
Luis Felipe Edwards LFE Reserva Colchagua Coast Chile 2022 Gold
Ruppertsberger Weinkeller Hoheburg Riesling Imperial Pfalz Germany 2021 Gold
Ruppertsberger Weinkeller Hoheburg Riesling Organic Pfalz Germany 2021 Silver
Luis Felipe Edwards LFE Reserva Colchagua Coast Chile 2021 Silver
Moselland Revenge of the Little Sqiud Rheinhessen Germany 2021 Bronze
Arba Wine Ak Arba Riesling Almart Kazakhstan 2018 Bronze
Cono Sur Bicicleta Riesling Bío Bío Valley Chile 2022 Bronze
£10-£15
Cono Sur Single Vineyard Riesling Bío Bío Valley Chile 2022 Silver
Weingut August Eser Vom Löss Oestrich Riesling trocken VDP.Ortswein Rheingau Germany 2021 Silver
Cantina di La-Vis Riesling – Classici Trentino Italy 2021 Bronze
£15-£20
Viña Estampa Inspiración Riesling Colchagua Valley Chile 2021 Gold
Remarkable Wines Dry Riesling Central Otago New Zealand 2015 Gold
Casas del Bosque Riesling Botanic Series Casablanca Valley Chile 2020 Silver
Weingutsverwaltung Volratz Rheingau Riesling Rheingau Germany 2021 Silver

 

Medium Dry (up to 12 g/l) continued

Winery Name of wine Region Country Vint. Medal
£20-£30
Gatt Wines Eden Springs High Eden Riesling High Eden, Eden Valley Australia 2018 Master
Schneeberger Südsteiermark DAC Riesling Kitzeck-Sausal Südsteiermark Austria 2020 Gold
De Bortoli Wines La Boheme Act 1 Riesling Yarra Valley Australia 2021 Silver
Langmeil Winery Wattle Brae Eden Valley Riesling Barossa Valley Australia 2022 Silver
Weingutsverwaltung Schloss Vollrads Winkel Riesling Kabinett trocken VDP.Ortswein Rheingau Germany 2020 Silver
Familia Torres Waltraud Penedés Spain 2021 Bronze
£30-£50
Weingut Hans Wirsching Iphöfer Julius-Echter-Berg Riesling Großes Gewächs trocken Franken Germany 2019 Gold
Weingut August Eser Doosberg Riesling GG trocken VDP.Grosse Gewächs Rheingau Germany 2020 Gold
Weingutsverwaltung Schloss Vollrads Schloss Vollrads Schlossberg Riesling GG VDP.Grosse Gewächs Rheingau Germany 2019 Gold
Weingut Hans Wirsching Iphöfer Kammer Riesling Großes Gewächs Trocken Franken Germany 2019 Silver
Bodega Puerta del Abra Insolitó Riesling Balcarce Argentina 2019 Bronze

 

 

Medium Dry (up to 45 g/l) 

Winery Name of wine Region Country Vint. Medal
£10-£15
Charles Smith Wines Kung Fu Girl Riesling Columbia Valley United States 2021 Bronze
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Winemaker’s Blend Riesling Beamsville Bench Canada 2020 Bronze
£15-£20
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard Beamsville Bench Canada 2020 Silver
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask Beamsville Bench Canada 2020 Silver
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard Beamsville Bench Canada 2020 Bronze
Trius Winery Ice Wine Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek Vineyard Four Mile Creek Canada 2020 Bronze
£50-£70
Trius Winery Trius Showcase Riesling Icewine Niagara Peninsula Canada 2018 Master

 

 

About the competition

With high-quality judges and a unique sampling process, The Global Riesling Masters provides a chance for your wines to star. The competition was judged on 9 November at the Novotel, London Bridge, employing experienced judges. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding in their field received the ultimate accolade – the title of Riesling Master. This report features the medal winners only. Please visit the Global Masters website for more information, or, to enter future competitions – giving you the chance to feature online and in print – please call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie Raichura at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com

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