2024 Wines by KT Peglidis Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley

A single-vineyard wine. So poised, pure and pretty, a triumph of a riesling that scales the heights for its intensity of fruit character and freshness. Green apple crunch, blackcurrant detail, jasmine florals, ginger-lemon tea notes, saline minerality at the core and a breathtaking overall freshness. So compact, tight, tense and precise, this is a tour de force of the variety from the region, and very complex overall. 250 dozen produced.

96 points Special Value Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

Wines by KT Peglidis Watervale Riesling from Clare Valley is a single-vineyard expression of place, purity and quiet power. Crafted by Kerri Thompson, one of the Clare Valley’s most respected winemakers, this wine is sourced from the dry-grown, unirrigated Peglidis vineyard planted in 1969. It’s a site she knows intimately and has worked with for over 15 years, resulting in a wine that speaks fluently of Watervale’s limestone soils and cool elevation.

The Peglidis Riesling is all about balance and drive. It opens with classic Watervale aromatics of white florals, kaffir lime, lemon blossom and crushed quartz. On the palate, it’s taut and textural, with a citrus core wrapped in mouth-watering acidity and a gentle talc-like grip. The finish is long, mineral and laced with subtle complexity that builds with time in glass or cellar.

Kerri Thompson works with minimal intervention and a deep respect for site. She lets the fruit do the talking, fermenting in stainless steel to preserve purity, and using only wild yeasts when the vintage allows. The result is a riesling that’s as honest as it is expressive.

Pair it with grilled Moreton Bay bugs, green papaya salad, or lemon and thyme roast chicken. This wine has serious cellaring potential too, with 10 to 15 years of graceful ageing ahead.