2024 O'Leary Walker Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley

From a pair of Clare Riesling masters, comes a masterful pair of Clare Rieslings. This Watervale Riesling is simply superb. A very pale yellow, we have notes of grapefruits, talc, spices and florals with a minerally background. A wine of finesse, bright acidity, balance and great length. A scintillating Riesling with focus, this will be a joy any time over the next twelve to fifteen years. Early reports suggest that 2024 will be a thrilling vintage, as good – in its own way – as ‘21 and ‘22. A cracking Clare Riesling and what value it is.

96 points Ken Gargett Wine Pilot

There's an approachability to this wine, a juiciness and freshness that says early appeal. Loaded with lime-lemon of the Splice ice cream kind with green apple, a touch of ginger and a splash of pink grapefruit wriggling through. Energetic, super delicious, just enough tension to make it feel fancy and a puff of talc-like minerality in there, too. The drinkability is off the charts. Sure, not overly complex or detailed, but this is an absolute ripper of a drink.

93 points Special Value winecompanion.com.au

O’Leary Walker was founded by longtime friends and winemakers David O’Leary and Nick Walker, bringing together decades of South Australian winemaking experience. Riesling is one of the estate’s great strengths, particularly in Watervale at the southern end of the Clare Valley. Here, elevated vineyards, cool nights and limestone-rich soils produce the wonderfully fragrant, lime-driven style that has made Clare Riesling an Australian classic.

The 2024 vintage delivered beautifully expressive fruit, with Watervale’s elevation and cooling evening air helping preserve natural acidity through the growing season. The area’s distinctive limestone soils bring an extra dimension to Riesling, giving the wine a chalky, mouthwatering quality beneath all that bright citrus fruit. No oak, no makeup — just Riesling doing its thing.

Pale straw with flashes of green, the nose jumps from the glass with fresh lime, green apple and lemon blossom, followed by grapefruit and a hint of jasmine. The palate is crisp and energetic, with lime juice and crunchy apple driven by lively acidity. Grapefruit peel and a subtle chalky texture appear through the middle before a long, dry finish of lime zest and wet stone.

This is brilliant with oysters and finger lime, salt-and-pepper squid, Vietnamese lemongrass chicken, Thai fish cakes or crispy pork dumplings with chilli and ginger. Our pick is the squid, hot, salty and crunchy with a squeeze of lemon against icy-cold Clare Riesling is one of those combinations where the first bottle starts looking suspiciously small.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2036.