2011 Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve Contours Riesling, Eden Valley

The mid-palate is almost plump with flavour but the finish shoots out long and impressive. This has arrived at a good place; it's a good reason for the Museum Release program. Volleys of lime, spice and toast-like flavour; all with powerful serves.

95 points Special Value Campbell Mattinson winecompanion.com.au

Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve Contours Riesling is a powerful statement of Eden Valley Riesling at its most serious and long lived. Sourced from the original Pewsey Vale Vineyard planted in 1961, this wine comes from one of Australia’s most important Riesling sites. High altitude, cool nights and ancient soils combine to deliver Rieslings with piercing acidity, intense flavour concentration and extraordinary ageing potential. The Contours bottling represents the most expressive parcels of the vineyard, shaped by subtle variations in slope, aspect and soil.

Pewsey Vale has long been synonymous with Australian Riesling, and the Museum Reserve program is about patience and provenance. Wines are held back and released with bottle age, allowing the evolution and complexity of Eden Valley Riesling to be fully revealed. Contours is crafted with precision, fermented dry and handled with minimal intervention, letting the vineyard’s natural power and structure take centre stage.

In the glass, the wine shows a pale straw colour with green highlights, belying its age. Aromas are layered and complex. Fresh lime and lemon zest sit alongside developed notes of toast, lanolin and subtle honey. With air, hints of ginger, fennel and crushed stone emerge, showing the classic evolution of great aged Riesling.

On the palate, Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve Contours Riesling is intense, linear and beautifully composed. Citrus and lime marmalade flavours drive the palate, supported by vibrant acidity that gives the wine remarkable energy and length. The texture is fine and chalky, with a dry, mouthwatering finish that lingers with citrus peel, mineral notes and gentle savoury complexity.

This is a Riesling built for serious appreciation. It pairs superbly with shellfish, rich seafood, pork, Asian inspired dishes or refined modern cuisine. Already showing stunning complexity, it still has many years ahead and will continue to evolve gracefully over another ten to twenty years.

Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve Contours Riesling is a benchmark Australian Riesling. A wine that captures the purity, power and longevity of Eden Valley, and a compelling reminder of why this vineyard is so revered.