I wouldn’t put it into the class of 1999 by any means, but the early signs are that 2000 could well be a good to very good year for riesling from Eden Valley. Clare’s problems have been well documented and it’s unlikely that many properties will release riesling of their usual standard, but several wines I have tasted from Eden Valley look especially encouraging. On a recent visit to Orlando’s headquarters at Jacob’s Creek in the Barossa I was shown a full range of 2000 rieslings. It was a reflection of the earliness of the 2000 season that the wines I tasted on April 12 had actually finished fermentation, a rarity indeed for this time of year. Wines destined for the premium Steingarten label had excellent length and steely austerity, with flavours of lime juice and lemon sorbet. They were generous and complete, with good palate weight and richness. Other Eden Valley vineyards, whose wines would probably finish in the St Helga blend had bony structure and length, without quite the concentration of the Steingarten wines. Leo Buring will not produce a Leonay Riesling (the company’s top-notch brand) from Clare in 2000, but is presently considering a relatively small parcel from Eden Valley which may be up to scratch. The same company, Penfolds, will release an Eden Valley Reserve Riesling from 2000 – a ripe and fleshy wine with Alsatian richness and generosity, but without quite the extraordinary charm of the inaugural 1999 wine. Again, the Eden Valley has performed well in an otherwise difficult year.
