Prophet’s Rock Dry Riesling 2022

$60.00

Paul’s love for Alsace whites whilst working there is the reason he makes both his ‘dry’ whites in oak, low yields and time on lees.Sourced from Rocky Point vineyard. Yields = 35 hct per hectare of this superb steep site. The 1st major glacier which formed the region didn’t make it to the Rocky Point site and latter ones didn’t expose the Schist as early as the Home Block further North, hence why the Schist hasn’t decomposed, meaning the Rocky Point vineyard is still a solid mass of Rock. This Schist rock is very predominant in the Rocky Point Vineyard – parent material of the whole region. When they do soil testing each year the issue they have is they do not enough nitrogen/organic matter in the soil due to the massive amount of mineral/solid rock that the vines are growing on. To combat this they do cover cropping to help with the nitrogen deficiency, using home-made compost.

A key point that Paul has mentioned in our conversations around his dry whites is the importance of elevage on lees. This was an important lesson he learnt whilst in Alsace, where the ‘greats’ almost always leave the wines post ferment on lees for extended periods, where so often in the new world for Riesling and Gris the wines are moved to tank/bottle in just a few months post primary ferment. Paul’s white’s are bottled just before the following vintage.

Hand Picked – whole bunch pressed – slow over 6 hours. Settled overnight in tank – then transferred to barrel – takes as much fine/fluffy lees as he can.

Wild Ferment in seasoned barrel (100% old). Slow ferment, 3 to 4 months due to temperatures. Once the ferment finishes, Paul doesn’t take off any lees for the entire elevage. Bottled before the start of the next harvest – 11 months approx. No Malo. Between 5 to 8 grams residual sugar. No Malo. Filtered due to sugar.

“I’ve long been a fan of the wines of Prophet’s Rock in Central Otago and while they makes very good reds – good enough to lure former de Vogüé winemaker Francois Millet to make wine there – their Alsatian white varieties show real understanding. Perhaps it’s something to do with the fact that winemaker Paul Pujol was the chief winemaker at Alsace’s Kuentz-Base for three years. The Dry Riesling’s purity, harmony and line are always delightful. It should be a go-to for any Riesling lover.” – 96 pts – Rebecca Gibb MW

“Well, hello, 2022 Dry Riesling. It’s so good to see you. When I am sad in a day of tasting mediocrity, you give me reason to smile and remember why I love wine. The reason this wine stands out is its harmony. There’s not a hair out of place, and it glides across the palate in a stately manner, not rushing its steps but quickly adopting a measured pace to show you its sophistication and lack of aggression. From its concentration to its purity, the 2022 is as clear as glacial water, with flavors of citrus, white talc, lemon curd and pastry.” – 96 pts – Rebecca Gibb MW

Vinous Top 100 Wines of the Year – 2024

View more by: Prophet's Rock

Region: New Zealand, Central Otago  

Categories: White, Riesling

SKU: PROPHETRIES22 Category:
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