2025 Dandelion Vineyards Enchanted Garden Riesling, Eden Valley

Elena Brooks founded Dandelion Vineyards with a clear intent: to make wines that speak plainly of the places they come from. Born in Bulgaria and trained in oenology in Australia, she has worked vintages across Europe and South Australia before settling in McLaren Vale. Her winemaking philosophy is built around restraint — spending time in the vineyard, then stepping back in the winery.

The Enchanted Garden is a site perched on rocky hills at 416 metres in the Eden Valley, one of Australia's finest addresses for Riesling. Free-run juice, cold fermented at low temperature, bottled directly with minimal intervention. Modest 11.8% alcohol, bone dry, high natural acidity — and ready to enjoy.

Mineral salts, crushed quartz, lemon flesh, lime zest and orange blossom on the nose, precise and aromatic with real intensity. The palate is linear and clean, with a soft mineral water texture drawn along by bright acidity, and a core of steely passionfruit, musk and rose that keeps it interesting through a long, lingering finish.

A great match for anything delicate and flavoursome: Vietnamese rice paper rolls with prawn and mint, a Thai green papaya salad or a simple grilled whiting with lemon and herbs. The wine's acidity and citrus lift cut through light flavours without overwhelming them.

Drink now through 2035.