Rockburn Tigermoth Riesling 2024, Central Otago, NZD $42
Winemaker Malcolm Francis sadly announced that this vintage was the last to be made from these vines. A bit of a sleeper with impeccable balance between the 59 grams per litre of residual sugar, the fruit purity and searing Central Otago acidity. A Germanic-style light frame with low alcohol. One for the cellar, certainly.
A wine of contrasts: it has a lifted herbal element alongside very ripe flavours of dried apricot and ginger spice. The soaring bouquet is expressive and delicate. A hint of flint. Linear and concentrated but also light on its feet, the palate is intensely sweet while also being beautifully balanced and refreshing. Lovely length, finesse and subtle persistence. Enjoyable already but clearly able to age gracefully in the cellar for more than a decade. (Screwcap)
Score: 95 ★★★★★ – view original tasting note
Alcohol: 8.5%
Ageing: now to 2037
Food: triple cream brie with honeycomb
Stockists: Rockburn Wines; Glengarry Wines, Auckland and online; The Wine Collective online (NZ)
Ranked: #2 of 21 2024 Riesling from New Zealand
Awarded: Top Rank