The Meadowbank portfolio is littered with gold. Peter Dredge is as talented as they come. Whether it be with perfumed Pinot Noir, silky, textural Chardonnay, spicy Gamay or his game-changing sparkling program, he’s got the gift. That said, in recent years, it’s his Riesling that’s set the scene alight, with rave reviews rolling in and each release selling out faster than the last. “Redefines citrus,” read Halliday’s review for the 2023, a 98-point wine that sat high on his Top 100 list for the year. All this is to say, Meadowbank’s Riesling’s got form.
The vines are spread across three parcels on the Meadowbank vineyard, planted in 1974, 2005 and 2015. The block planted in 1974 predates the establishment of Meadowbank, and the clone is unknown. The 2005 block, which accounts for about two-thirds of the blend, is planted to Geisenheim 198, a clone susceptible to botrytis—something winemaker Peter Dredge lets run in most years (provided conditions are dry). He advocates for the botrytis influence to add intensity and weight to his Riesling and points to the practice used widely in Germany—he’s in a cool climate, using a German clone: what’s good for the goose…
All blocks were handpicked. Half the fruit fermented in stainless steel tanks and was handled oxidatively, with a touch of residual sugar remaining and some integration of clean botrytis. The fruit from the other plantings fermented in old oak barriques to round out the texture. Both parcels matured on their lees before blending and bottling without fining.
As is usually the case with this wine, run, don’t walk.