My top 5 rieslings of 2013

When we wrote the new bar list this year, we were very tempted to become Wellington's first Riesling-only bar. Every tasting we went to, it was the Rieslings that stood out.

In no particular order here is my top 5 (actually the first one is actually number 1!).

1. Rockburn Tigermoth (Central Otago)
2. Maude East Block (Central Otago)
3. Chard Farm (Central Otago)
4. Carrick Josephine (Central Otago)
5. Mt Difficulty (Central Otago)

Notice a common theme there? Though more known for pinot noir, I can't get enough of Central Otago's Rieslings!!!! And pinot gris for that matter. Although all grouped into the same broad region, each of these wines/vineyards are in different sub regions - for example Maude from Wanaka, Chard Farm from Gibbston Valley, Mt Difficulty from Felton Road in Bannockburn and Carrick from closer to the lake.

Rockburn was my absolute knockout of 2013. Most of my knowledge of their wines before this year was of their lower tier, Devil's Staircase pinot noir. I wanted so badly to list it at work but the numbers didn't quite crunch, so I recommend it to everyone I meet instead. Normally retailing for close to $40 a bottle, it's often on sale at Glengarry for only $23! Even cheaper if you buy a whole case! It's started hauling in the medals at wine shows so I'm sure it'll be a household name soon enough.