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PREMIUM

Australian Riesling: panel tasting results

Safe to say, these Clare and Eden Valley dry Rieslings were a big hit with our judges, offering just the right combination of fruit and zesty freshness.

Justin Knock MW, Roger Jones and Julia Sewell tasted 52 wines, with 10 Outstanding and 39 Highly Recommended.


Australian Riesling panel tasting scores

52 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 10

Highly recommended 39

Recommended 3

Commended 0

Fair 0

Poor 0

Faulty 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their dry, 100% Riesling latest-release vintages from Eden Valley or Clare Valley GIs and their sub-regions


In more than 15 years of tasting Australian wines for Decanter, I’ve never seen a line-up of such consistently high quality as this. Of 52 wines, 49 scored 90 points or above, and 10 of these were a golden 95pts or more. Roger Jones, also a veteran taster of Australian wines for Decanter, agreed:

‘Without doubt one of the best panel tastings, highlighting the value and quality of Aussie Riesling.’ ‘The quality exceeded my expectations,’ added Julia Sewell. ‘The wines were not just without fault, but with universal drinkability, complexity and finesse.’


Scroll down for tasting notes & scores for the top-scoring Australian Rieslings



Top scoring Australian Rieslings

The following wines are listed in score order and all scored 92 points or above


The judges

Justin Knock MW is director of wine for luxury wine merchant OenoGroup, overseeing their buying, marketing, trade and retail activities, and he is one of two DWWA joint Regional Chairs for Australia.

Roger Jones is the retired former owner of The Harrow at Little Bedwyn restaurant in Wiltshire. Now busy as a wine writer, judge and consultant with a particular focus on the hospitality trade, as well as helping charities, he is a DWWA judge for Australia.

Julia Sewell is a wine consultant and educator offering services via juliasewellwine.com. A DWWA judge, she began her career in restaurants in Melbourne, Australia before moving to the UK and working at The Fat Duck in Bray, Hide Restaurant Mayfair and Davy’s Wine Merchants.


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