2025 Utzinger Riesling
2025 Utzinger Riesling

2025 Utzinger Riesling

95 pts
Utzinger |Tamar Valley |Riesling
Textural, off-dry Riesling from 50-year-old dry-grown vines on the Tamar riverbank.
Price:
$36.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

Here we have a bell-ringing Riesling from Matthias and Lauren Utzinger!

The vines behind this Riesling were planted in 1974, down on the Tamar riverbank where the soils are predominantly mudstone and the site runs warm. Dry-grown, over 50 years old, and producing fruit with a depth and texture that younger vines simply can't replicate.

The winemaking approach adds another layer of interest. After hand-picking, the fruit sits on skins for 24 hours before fermentation in a mix of stainless steel and seasoned oak, then four months on full lees. The result is a Riesling with an unusual amount of body and textural richness for the variety. There's around 10 grams of residual sugar, but the acidity is the star of the show, keeping everything clean and driving a long, fresh finish.

In the glass it sits in that pleasurable off-dry zone where you barely register the sweetness because the citrus and freshness are so dominant. Floral, aromatic, and very easy to drink, with a mineral backbone that gives it some grip and longevity. 

Old-vine Tamar Riesling with texture and precision in equal measure. A bit of a find.

95+ points - "Pure, febrile and lipsmackingly focused, the '25 Utzinger Riesling shows grapefruit, freshly squeezed lime and green apple tones with hints of meadow flowers, mineral salts, rose petals, ozone and crushed stone. It's stretched taut like a high-E, resonating with mouth-watering citrus and crunchy apple with a flash of white peach, Tamar River breeze and crushed shells drawing long on the palate. There's a subtle ache of umami right at the end, too, and a wicked grapefruit sorbet acidity that shows impressive velocity and precision." - Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "The 2025 Riesling is textural and rounded. The acidity zips with pace across the palate; however, the feature here is the texture. The wine spends two days on skins, which exacerbates this texture. The wine is then fermented long and slow in stainless steel for three months. The vines are dry-grown, planted in 1974 down on the river bank, where the geology is predominantly mudstone. It is a warm site. The finished wine leads with eight to nine grams per liter of residual sugar and is bottled unfined.

There are notes of lemon blossom, pressed linen, crushed shells and green apple skins and some attractive saffron/sandalwood/beeswax notes through the finish. This is a gorgeous wine, one of compelling interest and, most importantly, texture. 12% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points - "Haunting, yeasty, almost ethereal dried wildflower bouquet; the palate opens with sweetness and zesty acidity, the tang of the appley acidity counter-balancing the sweetness to result in a quite delicious sensation. Chicken liver pâté would work well here." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

93 points - "Tamar riesling, holds somewhere between eight and ten grams residual sugar, but geez, the acid whips that into shape!

Juicy, crisp, exceptional length and persistence, strong mineral credentials, a dry-as-a-bone bony feel in the citrus and red apple fruitiness, dashes of jasmine and lemongrass too. Very easy to like this, one of those ‘breakfast wine’ kind of scenarios and a thirst-quenching, put-that-chilli-fire-out feel to the wine too. Yum." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

West Tamar fruit, hand-picked, destemmed, soaked on skins for 24 hours, stainless steel and seasoned oak fermentation, 4 months on full lees, roughly 10g/l residual sugar, no malo, sterile filtration, screwcap.

Pale yellow with a green hue. Intense nose with floral characters. Bergamot citrus, dried apricot and earl grey tea.

Fresh attack, medium to full bodied with a good, sweet acid balance, very textural with a fresh, long finish.

Price Bracket $31 to $40
Type White
Body Light Bodied
Variety Riesling
Country Australia
Region Tamar Valley
Australian State TAS
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Advocate
The Real Review
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 12%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

Utzinger

Matthias and Lauren Utzinger are rising stars of Tasmania's Tamar Valley.

Matthias, originally from Switzerland, began his winemaking journey with an apprenticeship as a cellar hand before earning a degree in Viticulture and Enology. His career took him through renowned vineyards in Switzerland, Geneva, and Provence, ultimately leading him to Tasmania. Northern Tasmania, where his wife Lauren grew up, reminded Matthias of his homeland with its cool climate and vibrant viticulture potential.

The Utzingers planted their vineyard with high-density plantings of 6,500 vines per hectare, featuring Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah. Their approach to viticulture emphasizes creating habitats for beneficial invertebrates and native wildlife, enhancing biodiversity. Certified organic, the vineyard's management reflects a deep respect for the environment, with significant areas dedicated to preserving native grasslands and reforestation efforts.

Matthias’ winemaking philosophy is rooted in minimal intervention, allowing the vineyard's natural characteristics to shine through. The Utzingers believe that wine is grown, not made. Their careful clonal selection, combined with organic practices, results in wines that are expressive of their terroir. Each bottle from Utzinger Wines tells the story of the land and the meticulous care taken to cultivate it.

With a range that includes Tasmanian classics like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as exciting new varieties imported from Switzerland, Utzinger Wines showcases the potential and diversity of the Tamar Valley. Theirs is surely a label to watch in the future as one of the brightest new prospects on the Tasmanian scene.

Matthias and Lauren Utzinger Utzinger

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