The 2024 Riesling is an exhilarating study in contrast and complexity. The nose opens with pungent apricot preserve, spiced citrus rind, elderflower, and lavender stalks. As the wine breathes, additional notes of orange blossom, sweet pasture grass, and beeswax emerge, all dusted with a whisper of apricot sherbet.

On the palate, it’s a live wire — a charge of white citrus acidity and tart green apple that surges through the core. Yet this is not a wine of angles alone; it’s insulated by sweeter textures of orange barley candy and ripe apricot preserve. By Day 3, the richness deepens, revealing stewed citrus, cling peaches, and touches of dried apricot and marmalade. The finish is remarkably persistent, coiling out in vivid layers of grapefruit and Granny Smith, expressed with gleaming clarity.

The 2024 season in Elgin was a tale of early caution and late reward. Winter delivered good cold unit accumulation, though not significantly more than other parts of the South Coast. Spring was cool and wet, which slowed early growth and made for a cautious start to the season. While fungal pressure remained relatively low, sustained high wind speeds in early summer did affect fruit.

Happily, the harvesting period was far drier than the previous year, and fruit came into the cellar in excellent health. Ripening was advanced by about 7 to 10 days — a result of warm summer conditions and smaller crop loads — making for clean fruit with excellent natural acidity and aromatic intensity.