Rippon Riesling Mature Vine 2021, 0,75 L

A Riesling from New Zealand—awarded an outstanding 95 points by James Suckling? Absolutely. Rippon once again proves why it ranks among the country’s top wineries, this time with the King of White Wines. Tasted blind, it could easily be mistaken for a Grosses Gewächs from Germany’s Mosel region.

The wine hails from a stony, slate-rich single vineyard in Central Otago. Grapes are harvested by hand in small crates, gently foot-treaded, and then fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve purity and precision.

With a modest 12.4% alcohol, vibrant acidity (7 g/L), and just the right touch of residual sugar (12 g/L), the balance is exceptional. The wine pulses with energy—every sip tingling on the palate with lively acidity and layered flavours of apricot, ripe lemon, and grapefruit. The finish is impressively long, with a pronounced, stony minerality.

Now reaching its ideal drinking window, though it will continue to evolve beautifully over the next decade.

Only 940 six-bottle cases were produced, so quantities are highly limited—every Riesling lover should experience this at least once.