Reviews
Independent Reviews for the 2009 Auburn New Zealand Rieslings
Bob Campbell - MW
Auburn Twilight Riesling 2009
"Small production Riesling (242 bottles) from 16 year-old vines in the Lowburn district. Originally selected to be a late-harvest style, the wine appears slightly sweeter than the Lowburn label despite having a tad less residual sugar. Lower acidity and higher alcohol could explain the difference. Intriguing wine with ripe stone fruit, mineral and subtle spicy flavours. Very impressive and distinctive Riesling." 93/100 - 5 Stars
Auburn Lowburn Riesling 2009
"Medium Riesling, at least on paper, although the wine has a fairly chalky, drying finish. Good
fruit weight with stone fruit, mineral and delicate floral (rose petal?) characters. Smooth textured, classy wine with serious cellaring potential."
Sue Courtney - Wineoftheweek.com
Auburn Twilight Riesling 2009
"...is gorgeous, Light gold in colour with aromas of tropical fruit and sweet citrus and a honeyish palate, it is sweetish, nectar-like, with great depth of tropical / citrus fruit and great acid tension to balance the sweetness and hints of spicy zest (ginger-like, almost) coming forth on the finish. Texture, viscosity and mouthfeel just perfect - it reminds me a little of the Mt Difficulty Target Gully Riesling 2009 that I gave 5 stars to recently. This style of Riesling, when well made, as this one is, always seduces me and this had me swooning in ecstasy."
Auburn Lowburn Riesling 2009
"...is light in colour and immediately the impression is tighter and racier with concentrated yet soft lime and lemon flavours and even greater tension and nerve. The texture has a slight oily character, there's a nuance of nectar-like sweetness and a distinct earthy / pithy character to the finish that, because of the acidity, gives the wine a dry steely finish. Far too young, but I can envision how this would be in five years time. If you can get hold of a bottle and put it away in your cellar, you will have obtained a first release of one of Central Otago's new stars."
Sam Kim - Wine Orbit
Auburn Twilight Riesling 2009
"This is a magnificent wine from a new venture focusing on one grape, Riesling. Grapes were grown in the Lowburn district (16-year-old vines), and both clean and botrytised grapes were harvested. The nose is striking and beautifully lifted displaying mandarin, floral and honey characters. It's lush and succulent on the palate showing appealing sweetness (28 g/l) which is brilliantly balanced by the lemony acidity. The wine feels opulent yet remains fine and refreshing. At its best: now to 2014." 91/100 - 4.5 Stars
Auburn Lowburn Riesling
"This is sleek and gorgeous. No botrytised grapes were used in this wine, whole-bunch pressed, lightly settled and fermented at cool temperatures. The nose is bright and pure, displaying lemon, grapefruit and chalky mineral characters. It's refined and delicate on the palate with seductive sweetness (31 g/l) and seamlessly integrated acidity providing both structure and length. A wine to watch! At its best: now to 2015." 93/100 - 5 Stars
Gary Walsh - Wine Front
Auburn Twilight Riesling 2009
"These wines are not available for sale in Australia, but will be from the next vintage onwards. They come to me via a bloke I know who's a keen fancier of off-dry riesling, so keen in fact, that he's gone off and made a few himself, in partnership. Living the dream - and good on him for that! ...
"Apple, spice, cumquat and apricot nectar with a floral mineral Character - perhaps like baby oil. It has excellent weight and a lightly viscous and grippy texture. Acidity cuts but does not intrude, and it feels sweeter than it's sibling that has higher residual sugar, but pulls very dry and minerally on the finish. Has a lot of character. It's quite different to German and Australian off-dry styles, and offers an intriguing point of difference. Not quite sure how it will age, but it's pretty good now." 92/100 (drink 2010-2015)
Auburn Lowburn Riesling 2009
"...There’s a faint whiff of sulphur and then apple, lemon blossom, mineral and citrus. It’s tight and rippling with clean acidity and has something of an austere minerally edge. Does not feel especially sweet, and while you sense (or know) that it’s off-dry, the acidity plays tricks on you, and tells you otherwise. That’s a good sign and one that indicates good balance. Certainly pulls crunchy and tangy on the finish with a dry lemon barley aftertaste. I’d say this one has a few more tricks to play, given a bit more bottle age." 91+/100 (drink 2012-2018+)
Jo Burzynska - New Zealand Herald
Auburn Twilight Riesling 2009
"BRIGHT DEBUT. Would that the world discovers our rieslings, which are getting better by the vintage. This impressive inaugural release from Auburn is low in alcohol and high in flavour, running the spectrum from heady florals, apricots and spice through tangy grapefruit with a wonderfully slaty undercurrent."
Garth Gallaway - Avenues Magazine
"Recently, I heard three friends have formed Auburn Wines, based in Lowburn, Central Otago. They have a mutual love of riesling and have decided to focus solely on this varietal. It’s courageous to focus solely on one grape; even more so if riesling is the choice. I love the variety of styles and the quality of the rieslings produced in this country and abroad, but New Zealanders do not share the rest of the world’s appreciation of the varietal. This is a delicious, innovative and commendable approach and, if the two wines sampled in this tasting are anything to go by, drinkers should be in for a treat."
Auburn Twilight Riesling 2009
"Beautifully named, this wine has a soft mouth-feel, stone fruit flavours and is elegant and inviting. It’s also a little unusual (fruit harvested sweet, made dry) and the winemaker says it will only be made occasionally. The lack of acidity makes this riesling ideal as an aperitif."
Auburn Lowburn Riesling 2009
"A terrifically clean and refreshing riesling, this is made in a lighter style (only 9 per cent alcohol). Its nose is attractive and the flavours are dominated by nectarine, peach and citrus. An excellent first vintage, with the promise of more fine wines to come." Garth’s Pick
Quick Review Quotes:
Bob Campbell - MW
"...Very impressive and distinctive Riesling..."
"...serious cellaring potential..."
Sue Courtney - Wineoftheweek.com
"...it reminds me a little of ... that I gave 5 stars to recently..."
"...had me swooning in ecstasy..."
Sam Kim - Wine Orbit
"...magnificent wine..."
"...sleek and gorgeous... A wine to watch! ..."
Gary Walsh - Wine Front
"...offers an intriguing point of difference..."
"...has a few more tricks to play, given a bit more bottle age..."
Jo Burzynska - New Zealand Herald
"...impressive inaugural release from Auburn..."
Garth Gallaway - Avenues Magazine
"...A terrifically clean and refreshing riesling..."
"...delicious, innovative and commendable approach..."