By Christine Salins.
Castle Rock Pinot Noi
Western Australia’s Great Southern wine region is vast, stretching 100 kilometres from north to south and 150 kilometres from east to west. That means there’s a variety of climatic conditions, ranging from Mediterranean and maritime to continental.
Overall, it’s the state’s coolest wine region, so it’s not surprising that Riesling is a bit of a star. Porongurup, one of five sub-regions in the Great Southern, produces particularly fine Riesling – pristine, pure, elegant, and luxurious.
Riesling still hasn’t enjoyed the revival that many in the industry have been predicting for decades, but dedicated wine lovers know that Australia produces some magnificent Riesling, often representing great value for money.
One fine producer in Porongurup is Castle Rock Estate, established in 1983 by Angelo and Wendy Diletti and now run by their son Rob.
Castle Rock Riesling
Located on the north-eastern slopes of the Porongurup mountain range, 40 kilometres north-east of Albany and 30 kilometres south-east of Mount Barker, the estate is named after a prominent nearby landmark. Its cellar door is small and intimate with spectacular views of the vineyards and Stirling Ranges.
The cool, elevated, north-easterly aspect produces intensely flavoured wines, particularly Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Rob’s philosophy is that “fruit is king” and he strives to showcase the fruit’s purest expression of where it is grown.
With six different blocks of Riesling to choose from, he produces a range of styles, two of which are featured here. The Pinot Noir also has great varietal expression, with added complexity from oak, whole-bunch fermentation, and extended maceration.
Castle Rock Skywalk Riesling
Castle Rock Estate 2022 Riesling, $30: This flagship wine is a blend of all six Riesling blocks and while it is fresh and lively now, it’s likely to still be looking good in a couple of decades. Like all good-looking sorts, it will probably even improve with age. It has a beautiful depth and purity of flavour, with green apple, lime and lemon notes, a little bit of floral and a lot of zesty minerality. With enticing kaffir lime and lemongrass aromas, it would pair nicely with Asian, fish and prawn dishes.
Castle Rock Estate 2022 ‘Skywalk’ Riesling, $25: Named after the lookout on the side of Castle Rock, this is another fine wine and for those who are new to Riesling probably a good one to start with. Lighter-bodied and lower in acidity than the flagship, it has a softer mouthfeel and generous citrus and stonefruit characters, with hints of grapefruit, musk and lychee.
Castle Rock Estate 2021 Pinot Noir, $40: Burgundy might have to wait for another day but in the meantime you can be very happy with this elegant and complex creature. It’s quite a light style but with plenty of interesting characters ranging from strawberries and cherries to cinnamon, vanilla and some earthy/mushroom notes. Fine, silky tannins and a long finish make it a joy to drink.
