2025 Koerner Watervale Riesling

94 pts
Old-vine Watervale Riesling full of texture and complexity.

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

Koerner has always built itself on rethinking the Clare Valley while staying true to what makes it great. Damon Koerner grew up in Watervale, surrounded by vines, and his wines reflect both that deep connection and a drive to do things differently. He’s not interested in making cookie-cutter Riesling - his take has more texture, more detail, and a bit more attitude, while still holding onto that electric Clare Valley freshness.

This one comes off the family’s Gullyview and Parish vineyards, including vines planted way back in 1923. The winemaking is stripped back - six hours on skins, wild fermentation in steel and ceramic amphora, and ten months on fine lees. No fining, no filtering, just a tiny bit of sulphur before bottling. It’s got all the drive and precision you want from Watervale Riesling, but with more layers, a little grip, and a whole lot of personality.

Properly delicious, properly interesting - a Riesling that’s as much about feel as it is about flavour.

94 points
"Texture, vitality, length, drinkabilty… Really delicious."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

94 points - "Off Koerner and Parish Vineyards, plantings from 1920s and 1970s. Bit of history there. Wild ferment occurs in stainless and ceramic vessels.

Texture, vitality, length, drinkabilty. A good start when those four things collide. Scents and flavours of preserved lime, Indian pickled lime, Real Lemonade, green apple. Some crunch to texture but also a haze and little grippiness too. There’s a kind of sparkle to the wine, not a spritz, just a sense of prickle and pucker that suggests that. Really delicious." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

93 points - "A challenging, warm, dry growing season saw the fruit picked earlier to retain natural acidity. The resultant rieslings of '25 are of richer realms, yet no less finessed, nor are they broad. This speaks to Pink Lady apple and bath salts, characteristic lime pithiness on show, but with some preserved lemon notes, too. There's a chew to the profile, the fruit expands and endures, threads of riverbed and petrichor sewn in." - Katrina Butler (Halliday Wine Companion)

Vineyard: Gullyview & Parish Vineyards, Watervale Blocks: Grace, Parish & Gullyview Planted: 1923 & 1973 Soil type: Red clay on limestone (Gullyview & Grace), Red clay on slate and iron stone (Parish) Picking date: February 6, 10 & 20, 2025 Picking method: Hand harvested and sorted in vineyard Processing: Crush and destem Time on skins: 6 hours in press Pressing: Free run only, minimal press rotations Cooling / settling: Cold settled off dirt and heavy solids for 3 days Fermentation: Natural ferment in Steel & ceramic amphora for 2 months Aging vessel: Stainless steel on fine lees for 10 months Bottled: 28/01/2026 Filtration: No Fining: No Alc: 11.5 pH: 2.99 TA: 7.4 SO2: 26 free / 62 total Production: 1000 dozen

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Light Bodied
Variety Riesling
Country Australia
Region Clare Valley
Australian State SA
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
Critic Score 94
Alcohol 11.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

Koerner

Growing up in Clare Valley, Damon Koerner developed a deep connection with the region's rich wine history. In 2014, he and his brother Jono launched Koerner Wines to bring fresh energy to their home turf, creating vibrant, modern wines that feel both distinctly Clare and cutting-edge.

Koerner Wines is all about blending tradition with innovation. Damon’s organically-minded approach and contemporary techniques – like fermenting and ageing in clay amphora – result in wines that are bright, food-friendly, and ideally suited to Australia’s climate.

Using his family’s Gullyview vineyard alongside nearby plots, Damon works with Clare Valley classics like Riesling and Cabernet, while also embracing more unique varieties like Carignan, Sciacarello, and top-notch Vermentino. His wines showcase Clare Valley’s diversity, revealing unexpected sides of this iconic region. With a recent expansion into the Adelaide Hills, the range continues to grow and mature.

As one of Australia’s most celebrated young winemakers, Damon Koerner is redefining what Clare Valley & Adelaide Hills wines can be. If you haven’t tried Koerner Wines yet, it’s high time to explore these excellent South Australian vinos.

Damon Koerner in his Adelaide Hills winery Koerner

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