2024 West Cape Howe Riesling, Mount Barker

A very simple but easy-appeal riesling. Tart, refreshing and distinctly limey with apple cordial, talc and light gingery notes lending some additional complexity. It finishes quite short, but what's here is enjoyable for distinct varietal character and general sense of energy. OK, is the message.

89 points Mike Bennie winecompaniion.com.au

West Cape Howe Riesling from Mount Barker is a vibrant, citrus-charged expression of one of Western Australia’s most prized cool-climate regions. Sourced from some of the oldest vineyards in the Great Southern, this wine is a shining example of just how refined, racy, and terroir-driven Riesling from Mount Barker can be. Crisp, dry, and aromatic, it’s a wine that balances precision with personality.

West Cape Howe was established in 1997 and quickly earned a reputation for producing varietal-driven wines with purity and regional clarity. Mount Barker is one of the coolest subregions in Western Australia, with long growing seasons, gravelly soils, and a reliable maritime influence—all key to producing Riesling with lifted aromatics, bright acidity, and age-worthy structure.

The Riesling is typically harvested in the early morning to preserve freshness, with fermentation carried out in stainless steel to maintain the variety’s floral and citrus-driven character. The result? A wine that bursts from the glass with lime zest, lemon blossom, and crushed quartz aromas. The palate is bone dry, zippy, and pure, with flavours of green apple, grapefruit, and a saline edge that reflects the granite and gravel soils of the region. The finish is long, mouth-watering, and refreshingly mineral.

It’s the kind of Riesling that’s perfect with freshly shucked oysters, Thai-style seafood, or just a warm afternoon and a cool glass.