Riesling
75cl * Vegan * 10.5% ABV * Barossa Valley, Australia
Dandelion Vineyards is the venture of talented winemaker Elena Brooks, and her husband Zar. Their project makes wines from the Barossa and Eden Valleys, Fleurieu, the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale.
Elena hails from Bulgaria. Her mother worked for a local producer, and so much of Elena’s childhood was spent in a winery. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria’s rich winemaking history attracted visiting winemakers from across the globe. As a result, Elena met many international winemakers visiting her mother's workplace. As the only English speaker, she began interpreting barrel room tastings for these visitors at the age of 12. By 15 she was well-versed in the ins and outs of the winemaking process and by 16 she had made her first wine. After formal study and stints making wine worldwide, Elena eventually settled in McLaren Vale with Zar and founded Dandelion Vineyards.
Colin Kroehn tended his Eden Valley Riesling for 66 years. "Wonderland of the Eden Valley" is made entirely from his vineyard which was planted in 1912 and thrives to this day.
Whole bunches were hand picked in early March then destemmed in small batches without crushing the fruit to fill the press exactly. The free run juice was then fermented in small tanks between 11 and 14 degrees Celcius. The wine has a high level of natural acidity, low pH of and although bone dry, an alcohol of only 10.5%.
This Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling was bottled with minimal winemaking artifact to capture the essence and purity of the vineyard.
This wine is bright gold in the glass with aromas of grapefruit zest, spice and graphite. On the palate searing acidity is paired with a core of pure citrus, lime, lemon and mandarin oranges. The structure is tight and smooth.
Ready to drink immediately or cellar for decades. Pair it with Asian Crab Salad.