2025 Forest Hill Block 2 Riesling

97 pts
A powerful and textural Riesling from vines planted in 1975.

Price:
Sale price$33.00
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In stock, ready to ship
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Description

The Block 2 vineyard is a special piece of Western Australian history. Planted back in 1975, these old vines sit on a site that consistently produces some of the most intense, textural Rieslings in Mount Barker. While some Great Southern Rieslings are all about lean, bracing acid, the Block 2 is a slightly textural style, thanks mostly to those old vines.

The 2025 season was a dry one, but without the aggressive heat spikes of the year before, allowing the fruit to develop a complex profile of Meyer lemon, persimmon, and jasmine tea. To build on that natural intensity, about 15% of the blend was fermented in large Austrian oak demi-muids with a healthy amount of solids. This, combined with extended time on lees, gives the wine a lovely, fleshy texture that balances out the racy acidity.

It’s lip-smacking and incredibly refreshing, but it’s the "lemon oil" weight and crushed-stone finish that really sticks with you. It’s a serious, high-energy Riesling that offers way more than just simple citrus, it's a dream for anyone who loves the more textured, complex side of the variety.

97 points
"This is a magnificent wine, and while I often prefer the Block 1 over the Block 2, it is not so this year. Is there a touch of residual here? If so, I like it. The vineyard block was planted in 1975."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

95 points
"A pleasing and generous style of riesling, unashamed of its origins and feeling pure and natural as it goes. Delicious. Serious. Complex."
- Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "The 2025 Block 2 Riesling is softer and plusher than the Block 1 Riesling tasted next to it, and this shows in lime flesh, brine, green apple and crushed rocks. The Rieslings of the Great Southern carry the mineral drive of those from Eden Valley and, in some cases, the flesh of Clare, which we see here. This region in the southwest of Western Australia is quite unique in Australia in that it is incredibly remote, almost harsh in its landscape, vast and diverse, given its size. The soils around the Mt. Barker area are largely composed of ironstone gravel soils and lateritic gravelly sandy loams derived from granite and gneissic bedrocks. These soils are particularly well-suited to Shiraz and Riesling, which we can see here. This is a magnificent wine, and while I often prefer the Block 1 over the Block 2, it is not so this year. Is there a touch of residual here? If so, I like it. The vineyard block was planted in 1975. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

95 points - "A bright and juicy version of the variety, vibrant and cooling, citrusy in a pretty way. Some rosy lift and a general sense of lemongrass and ginger brightness in the mix. So even, flowing, deeply flavoursome. A pleasing and generous style of riesling, unashamed of its origins and feeling pure and natural as it goes. Delicious. Serious. Complex." - Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "Quality wine but it’s also the kind of wine that puts a smile on your face. It’s a wine with a bit of joy in its heart. It’s citrussy and floral with gentle notes of mineral and lemonade; it feels unforced and fluid throughout; on the finish it adds orange rind notes. It’s the sophisticated face of deliciousness." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Hand-picked and sorted. Careful selection of the parcels based on soil with further attention on farming within the site contribute to the Block 2 wine. The grapes are whole bunch pressed then chilled and settled. Juice racked to stainless & Austrian oak demi-muid (~15% of blend) for fermentation with some solids. These parcels were kept separate and fermented between 15 and 20 degrees. Once alcoholic fermentation was completed, the wine is raised on lees in full tanks. The wine was left on lees before bottling.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Light Bodied
Variety Riesling
Country Australia
Region Great Southern
Australian State WA
Feature High Score
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

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