2025 Best's Foudre Ferment Riesling

97 pts
One of the finest Rieslings in Victoria aged in large format oak. Sensational.

Price:
Sale price$35.00
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In stock, ready to ship
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Description

In Great Western, the Thomson name is basically royalty. They’ve been the custodians of this patch of dirt since 1920, and while they’re famous for the classics, they aren’t afraid to dig through their long family archives to find something special. This Foudre Ferment is a direct shout-out to the more textural Rieslings the family was producing back in the 70s.

The 2025 season brought plenty of warmth, but the Thomsons know how to handle the heat. They’ve captured all that sun-drenched stone fruit weight while keeping the wine's natural tension front and centre. A full day on skins followed by five months on lees in those massive oak vats gives this wine and texture and savoury backbone that makes it one of the most interesting premium Rieslings in the country.

It’s a riot of flavour - fresh nectarine and lime zest meeting a hit of exotic ginger. There’s a lovely citrus-pip grip on the finish that keeps everything tight and crunchy. It’s a sophisticated, soulful white that proves the old guard can still lead the charge when it comes to innovation.

97 points
"A wine that says 'not only is it okay to place riesling in oak, but it can open up a wonderful world of flavour and texture'... A stunner from a top vintage."
- Jeni Port (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "Left on skins for 24 hours, pressed and racked to two large oak casks, barrel fermentation, left on lees for five months. A wine that says 'not only is it okay to place riesling in oak, but it can open up a wonderful world of flavour and texture'. Aromatic honeysuckle florals and exotic ginger and lemongrass aromas mingle with citrus, pear and apple. Builds on the palate oh-so delicately but deeply with a warm textural mouthfeel. Oak contributes to the umami and a leesy almond mealy-ness, while the purity of riesling fruit shines brightly. A stunner from a top vintage." - Jeni Port (Halliday Wine Companion)

The aromatic Riesling juice is given extended skin contact then wild fermented in large oak Foudre (barrels)

This wine exhibits both the complexities of a barrel ferment and spontaneous fermentation without overt oak flavour due to the large size and subtlety of the Foudre.

TECHNICAL DETAILS:

Region: Great Western, Victoria
Grape Variety: Riesling
Alcohol: 11%
Residual Sugar: 4.94 g/L
Winemaker: Jacob Parton & Dom Bolton

HOW DOES IT TASTE:

Pale yellow with green hues. White jasmine, blossom with apricot and yellow stone fruits. Fresh apricot, yellow peach and yellow nectarine fills the front palate followed by lychee, passionfruit sorbet, lime zest and lemon rind.

Citrus pip phenolics from the skins contact give the wine texture. Richness from the residual sugar is balanced with fresh acidity.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Riesling
Variety Style ["Textural Riesling"]
Country Australia
Region Great Western
Australian State VIC
Feature Iconic
High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 97
Alcohol 11%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

Best's Great Western

Best's Great Western is one of the oldest family-owned wineries in the country.

Their iconic Nursery Block is home to some of the oldest clonal material for particular varieties that can be found anywhere in the world. Established in the late 1860s, this precious vineyard is envied by much of the wine growing world.

Their wines are consistently excellent: the Shiraz dark and powerful, the Rieslings full flavoured and impeccably balanced, and the rare releases of Old Vine Meunier and Thomson Family Shiraz are some of the most collectable red wines in the country.

The Thomson family, and the Best family before them, have given us one of the true treasures of the Australian wine scene.

Viv and Ben Thomson Best's Great Western

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