2024 Framingham Noble Riesling Half Bottle 375ml, Marlborough

Half Bottle 375ml 

Airy, shy aromas of ginger, candied lemon peel and sweet sage reluctantly lift from the glass with coaxing. The palate is intensely sweet and concentrated, barely contained by the youthfully pithy, astringent phenolics and limy acidity. This tightrope balancing act hides a heart-stopping amount of sugar which is hinted at in the almost salty level of intensity which lingers on the finish. Very young and powerfully austere (for a sweet wine), this needs at least a couple of years to relax and unfold before it reveals its depth and complexity 05 Feb 2025 Drink 2027–2043

95 points Stephen Wong MW therealreview.com

Framingham Noble Riesling from Marlborough is a luscious, botrytised dessert wine that sings with richness, vibrancy, and complexity. Crafted in tiny quantities only in vintages when conditions are perfect for noble rot, this wine is a rare treat—intensely aromatic, beautifully textured, and layered with the kind of detail that rewards both patience and indulgence.

Framingham, one of Marlborough’s most revered boutique producers, has long been a Riesling specialist. Their estate vineyard, located in the Wairau Valley, is home to some of the oldest Riesling vines in New Zealand. These vines, rooted in alluvial soils with gravel and loam, produce fruit with purity, tension, and natural balance—ideal for both dry and sweet expressions.

For the Noble Riesling, the fruit is hand-selected late in the season once botrytis cinerea (noble rot) has concentrated the sugars and flavours. Winemaker Andrew Brown gently presses the grapes, and the juice is slowly fermented to retain freshness and preserve the delicate aromatics. The wine is then matured in stainless steel to showcase fruit character and vibrancy.

Expect an explosion of apricot, orange marmalade, honeycomb, and candied ginger on the nose, followed by a palate that is rich and unctuous yet lifted by electric acidity. Notes of dried peach, citrus peel, saffron, and a mineral edge unfurl in a finish that is sweet, long, and beautifully poised.

Framingham Noble Riesling is a standout with blue cheese, lemon tart, foie gras, or simply savoured on its own.