In Canberra in the late 1970s we played wine option games to test our skills. Indeed, we formed teams and competed fiercely. A favourite question was, ‘is this Riesling from the Clare or Eden Valley’. This was a head-to-head contest with the two famous South Australian Riesling districts. I found no discernible quality difference and was never sure which was which. Even worse, add considerable age and it’s hard to spot whether the wine was a SA Riesling or an old Hunter.
If Riesling has its type location in Germany and Austria we next have to ask why Riesling can make such a superlative wine in faraway Australia. Let us just enjoy that these wonderful tastes exist and thank the versatility of Riesling.
