PUT A PARTY IN YOUR MOUTH

A bit of tweaking of acid levels in the just-released 2007 Jim Barry Watervale Riesling has rewarded the company – and consumers – with a superb wine that’s got considerably fresher and more pronounced fruit flavours on the palate than many of its predecessors.

Jim Barry Wines has been a leader with this variety in Watervale, Australia’s home of Riesling, for thirty years, and while many may wonder why they considered it necessary to in fact make any adjustments at all, Managing Director, Peter Barry considers it all part of progress.

“We wanted to encourage sophisticated, younger wine drinkers to grab a bottle of our Riesling to try it, so we brightened up packaging and at the same time made the 2007 with a pH of 2.92 compared with the norm of 3.1 to 3.2.

“It doesn’t sound much, but is enough to give the wine that little extra acidity that in turn’s made it much fresher, and the fruit flavours more pronounced.

“With plenty of lime, pink grapefruit and mandarin up front, and suggestions of rose petals, cardamom, star anise and lychee behind these,” Peter says. “We’ve had it described as ‘like having a party in your mouth.’”

Always great with seafood, this Riesling’s excellent buying at $14.95 so treat yourself to a platter of oysters with lots of lemon and a coriander garnish to start, followed-up with grilled white-fleshed fish topped with a dab of butter, a little chili, lots more lemon and again a hearty garnish of torn-up coriander.