One of the side-effects of the decision to sell current and future Leo Buring rieslings during their year of making is Southcorp’s gift to Australian riesling enthusiasts. Three vintages of what have been labelled as ‘Special Release Riesling’ have been released, from 1998, 1999 and 2000. Oldest and youngest are Eden Valley wines, while the 1999 effort comes from Clare. Given that each is very affordably priced around $20, and each is at least of silver medal standard, I wouldn’t expect them to hang around the shelves for long. The 1998 Special Release Eden Valley Riesling (17.0, drink 2003-2006+) is already quite full and toasty, rather floral and certainly phenolic. However it’s smooth and generous, slightly sugary and confected, and if perhaps a little disjointed today, should develop well, if rather quickly. The 1999 Special Release Clare Valley Riesling (18.6, drink 2007-2011) is the pick of the group. It’s the most youthful and most complete, although there’s a hint of development about its lightly toasty aromas of orange blossom, honeysuckle and pear, apple and tropical fruit. Rich, round and generous, it’s very long and smooth before finising with refreshing lemon-lime acids. The youngest wine, the Special Release Eden Valley Riesling 2000 (17.8, drink 2005-2008) reveals some herbal qualities and some riper, more confection-like influences, suggestive of the slight under-ripe and over-ripe factors so common with the 2000 vintage. There’s a mineral note to its lemon-lime perfume, with a light toastiness in the background. Forward and quite juicy, it’s long and chalky. It perhaps lacks genuine finesse, but doesn’t hold back in terms of punchy flavours and chunky textures.
