Atlas Watervale Riesling 2022

Description

Winemaker Adam Barton after working for Scarpantoni (McLaren Vale), Rolf Binder (Barossa), Wynns Coonawarra Estate and iconic Bonny Doon (California) wasted no time to complete a winemaking degree at Adelaide University.  Atlas Wines began on a 26-acre block of land, a vineyard planted with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, on the eastern slopes of the Clare Valley. The year was 2007. Adam Barton and Amy Lane made an investment in Clare and an investment in their future. Their vision for Atlas was pretty simple: to produce great wine from the highest-quality fruit from vineyards with exceptional provenance. Adam has come to understand the complexity and diversity of the Clare Valley, and how the unique characteristics of different sites produce fruit with distinctive qualities. It’s these qualities that they have sought to express through the wines they have made. As such, the Atlas house style is a carefully composed mosaic of the region. It is a true boutique producer. The red wines, sourced primarily from White Hut in the north and Leasingham in the south, are elegant yet powerful, and well structured; the whites, sourced from several sites at Watervale are finely structured, aromatic and pure.

Not suprising James Halliday rated them a 5 Red Star Winery saying “...The quality of the wines is extraordinarily good and extraordinarily consistent.”

The wine reflects its provenance and the unique house style of Atlas Wines. It’s bright and fresh with classic lime, floral and pear drop characters, with notes of pomme fruit, perfume and crisp acidity on the palate.

This is a wonderfully aromatic dry riesling with flavours of lime, lemon zest and delicious acidity.

Winemaker notes about the 2022 vintage “Fruit was sourced from premium, dry grown vineyards in the Watervale subregion of the Clare Valley, where the vines are rooted in quintessential “terra rossa” soils over limestone. They are hand-pruned and shoot thinned to ensure balanced ripening, before being harvested in the cool of the night. The combination of these conditions and the long, mild 2022 growing season resulted in concentrated fruit with great levels of natural acidity and ripe fruit flavours.

“This Riesling displays lifted aromas of lime juice, lemongrass and florals that are classically Watervale in nature. The palate is fresh and concentrated with zesty lemon and lime flavours complemented by hints of green aples and bath salts framed around a tight mineral structure. The crisp acidity, a result of the cool season, gives the wine finesse and great length, which drinks well now but will cellar for many years to come.”

90 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “Nutty, basil and floral notes, lime and apple, juicy Riesling flavour, a little ginger and chalkiness, apple and lime with some dusty texture, kind of wheat and juicy lime, apple pie and soft acidity, a generous and flavoursome wine. Loose knit but good to drink.”

Review of 2020: 91 points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion “As racy as Watervale riesling gets. A neat mix of lemon and lime, from zest to juice, with heady florals. The palate is long and pure, with piercingly fresh lemony acidity and a super-dry finish.” From the Gullyview Vineyard. I like the texture of these Atlas Rieslings. It’s a highlight, and marks them out as being slightly different. Lime and lemongrass, slight fennel and spice perfume, subtle funky/smoky character too. It’s juicy and has a fine chalky and lemon pith texture, a slight quinine bitterness, plenty of crunch and interest, and a good long finish. I like it.”

RRP $25   Our Price 21.99

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