Recently, I’ve lauded Germany as a great region for riesling. I’m sure I’ve also sung praises for Austria, Alsace and Washington state in the past. But I don’t ever think I’ve brought up Australia as a region for riesling. I don’t have anything against Australia. It’s just not the first region that comes to mind for me when I think of riesling. But after tasting this one from Frisk, I’ll be thinking more about Australian riesling.
This wine comes from the Alpine Valley region in the Australian state of Victoria. This is a mountainous region with slopes going up to 2,000 feet. And by the taste of this wine, I’d say it’s a great region for riesling.
Well-balanced citrus, floral and melon aromas give this wine a pleasant nose. The palate has a slight effervescence, hence the “prickling” name. It’s not a full-on sparkling wine, it’s just ever-so-slightly bubbly, but that characteristic gives the wine a really nice mouth feel. The flavors are on the off-dry side and primarily citrus. It tastes a little bit like 7Up, but not quite that sweet. It’s tangy and delicious.
It’s an easy quaffer, at under 9% alcohol, and a great wine for a hot summer day. It would also be a superb choice to go with spicy Thai food.
Wine: Frisk Prickly Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 8.9%
Rating: 89
Price: $7.99
Find Frisk Prickly Riesling with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.