2022 Crawford River Strata Riesling

Region: Henty, Victoria, Australia

Grape: Riesling

Culinary Suggestions: Seafood, Vietnamese Salad, Salt & Pepper Calamari

Vineyard Practice: Sustainable (Vegan)

About

John and Catherine Thomson planted the vineyard in 1975 at Crawford River, in far south-west Victoria. They were inspired by its potential to produce superior quality grapes after researching & experiencing many grape growing areas of the world. It was a relatively unexplored wine growing region and indeed remains merely a blot on the canvas. Although the area is now known as the GI of Henty.

Presiding over gently undulating grazing lands with sprawling forests in the distance, Crawford River has paved the way for the industry in what is traditionally a wool, beef and dairy region. The winery atop the hill and the vineyard hugging the slope nestled in the midst of a large sheep and cattle station that John’s great-grandfather settled in 1884. Since the initial plantings in the mid 1970´s, there have been 2 more small plantings. Believing in the fine quality of the Semillon included in the original plantings, John and Catherine added another 0.7 Ha of the variety in the early 1990´s. In 2000, another block of Riesling & Cabernet was added, which now produces the Young Vines Riesling & Rose wines. The cool southerly latitude together with the maritime environment, complex soil structure and favourable micro-climate create a terroir which has justified the initial vision.

Sisters Belinda Thomson & Fiona Thomson, daughters of John and Catherine, now look after day to day operations with Belinda based at the winery looking after vineyard and winemaking and Fiona taking care of sales and marketing. - Distributor Notes

Tasting Notes

It’s a beauty. A bit more weight and texture than some releases, a softness, gentle savouriness underling, some slate-like mineral elements and this gentle concentration of lime juice, hazy green apple juice, a touch of fennel in there too. It flows beautifully and effortlessly, and though a touch richer, let’s say, maintains great freshness and vibrancy despite that. It feels of superior quality fruit and gentle winemaking application. It’s a star.

94 points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front November 2022

Drink: 2022 - 2035