2007 Neudorf Brightwater Riesling, Nelson

Nelson's Brightwater zone is one of New Zealand's prime Riesling hotspots: a gently sloping ancient river bed littered with rounded river stones and alluvium, open to the big cloudless skies above and refreshed by cooling down-currents from the mountains behind. Air-fresh, guava and passion-fruit notes thrill the nose while the dry palate's a lesson in tropical lime-flower purity, deliciously intense and racy cool.

The grapes were whole bunch pressed on a long, gentle cycle, cold settled and racked off lees to small stainless steel fermenters.  A moderate temperature fermentation was stopped when the sugar acid balance was judged on taste to be in a dry style. The wine was stabilised for heat and then cold filtered and bottled in August 2008 at 3.06pH, 8.5gL TA,  10.8g/l residual sugar, 11.1% v/v alcohol.
A must try wine, especially with salady starters or white-bait.
(David Berry Green, BBR Buyer)