Pewsey Vale : The Contours Riesling Museum Reserve 2017

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Characteristics and tasting tips for the Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling Museum Reserve 2017

Tasting

Appearance
The appearance shows a pale straw yellow hue embellished with characteristic green highlights.

Nose
The bouquet unveils a classic aromatic intensity dominated by notes of fresh lemon and white flowers. After seven years of bottle aging, tertiary aromas gradually reveal themselves: toast, clove oil, and lemongrass, attesting to the wine's graceful evolution.

Palate
On the palate, the wine expresses great length and remarkable depth. Concentrated and fresh lime juice mingles harmoniously with notes of toasted brioche, sage oil, and lime marmalade. The finish is distinguished by a soft and refreshing natural acidity.

Food and wine pairings

This Riesling is the ideal accompaniment to a five-spice glazed duck breast. It also pairs perfectly with a tofu Pad Thai garnished with fresh lime wedges.

Service and cellaring

The Contours Riesling Museum Reserve 2017 will continue to evolve gracefully for many years.

A patiently aged Eden Valley Riesling

The estate

Established in 1847 by Joseph Gilbert, Pewsey Vale holds the title of the first estate to have planted Riesling in the Eden Valley region of South Australia. Acquired by the Hill-Smith family in 1970 and integrated into the S. Smith and Son group, the vineyard covers a single plot evoking the famous Clos Vougeot, entirely dedicated to Riesling at an altitude of between 480 and 500 meters. Under the guidance of Chief Winemaker Louisa Rose, Pewsey Vale continues its pioneering legacy, establishing itself as a global reference for Australian Riesling thanks to its historic vines and sustainable viticulture.

The vineyard

The Contours Riesling comes from a single plot planted with old vines located on the coolest slope of the estate in the Eden Valley region. With a southern exposure, this vineyard benefits from shallow, sandy soils, dotted with quartz and schist gravel, conferring a distinctive minerality to the wine.

The vintage

Winter and spring were rainy, allowing for an optimal replenishment of soil water reserves. Spring and early summer were marked by mild temperatures, below seasonal averages, favoring a long and even ripening of the grapes. These ideal conditions allowed the estate teams to make harvest decisions at the optimal moment. Late summer and autumn offered warm and dry days, punctuated by cool nights, ensuring fruit aromas of remarkable purity while preserving excellent acidity. The harvest took place on March 23 and 24, 2017.

Winemaking and aging

The winemaking of The Contours Riesling Museum Reserve 2017 took place in stainless steel tanks with spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeasts. This South Australia wine was then aged for seven years in bottle before its release in 2024, thus developing its tertiary aromatic complexity.

Grape variety

This Australian white wine is 100% Riesling.