Domaine Simha, Lotus Amphora Riesling, Tasmania

Day Two of John and Christine's visit to Luggate! (Luggate, New Zealand) : Beautiful natural wine, that shows exquisite dry extract levels, superb marital expression, but also highly-unusual by products of fermentation, that manifest themselves in a cumin and turmeric dry spice, with just a tiny hint of funk. Extremely dry, with superb length of flavour. Decanted carefully, this presents itself clearly, although there is plenty of fine sediment floating around. This is not going to supplant the Trimbach style …

Very interesting wine. Pale straw, cloudy appearance. Lemon curd notes, some apricot and yeasty flavours. Persistent taste with clear acidity, but no sharpness (did the long amphora treatment play a part in this?). I like the depth and purity of the fruit and I am amazed by a unique and outstanding wine, even if the natural wine yeastiness is not my thing personally. Still tastes very young. Very pleasant to drink now, but wpuldn‘t be in a rush to drink …

Colour: cloudy pale straw Nose: nectarines and peaches. Lemon, lemon peel, lemon curd. Sweet spice. Lime. Nashi pear. Rich, buttery, nectarine skin. Palate: nectarine, lemon, lemon peel, lemon curd. Grapefruit (including the hint of bitterness). Smooth, but with crisp, nectarine skin like phenolics from skin contact. Fresh, lively, linear, lemony acidity. Unusual, unique, complex. Lovely. 12% alcohol.

4 Tasmania Wineries Jan-16; 1/2/2016-1/5/2016 (Coal Valley, Tasmania) : {screwcap, A$65, 12%} Lightly cloudy. Neither fined nor filtered. A youthful but not forceful nose of peaches and spice. The palate is reminiscent of a fruit punch for its variety of flavours, but it’s dry, with a distinct grapey texture, almost to the point of being tannic. There is a real structural framework here of acid and just plain wine-y-ness. The finish is medium/long and evenly balanced. I’m not sure exactly …