2023 Loosen Barry Wolta Wolta Riesling

This collaboration started with a "dangerous friendship" forged at the London Wine Fair in 1995, and a friendly insult. The premise was simple: Erni Loosen told the Barry family that, while good, Clare Valley Riesling was "not that interesting." He felt the region had backed itself into a corner of making linear, "squeaky clean" wines and challenged them to find more complexity.

The answer lay in the past. Inspired by a winemaking text from 1807 and a fresh-tasting dry German Riesling from 1947, Erni convinced the Barrys to look backward to move forward. The secret? Time.

Sourced from the historic Wolta Wolta block (planted on 900-million-year-old slate), the fruit for the 2023 was left to hang on the vine until late March to build flavour ripeness rather than just acid. It was then wild-fermented in a 3,000L German oak fuder and left on gross lees for a staggering 24 months with no bâtonnage.

Sam Barry calls 2023 "the coolest vintage since the legendary 2002." It is a vintage defined by hang-time, resulting in a wine that is immediately charming but built for the long haul.

This is the antithesis of the "lime and petrol" stereotype. It is textural and exotic, layering kaffir lime and lemongrass over deeper notes of crème brûlée, apricot kernel and struck match. Thanks to the "Benjamin Button" effect of long lees ageing, it is incredibly fresh yet undeniably complex.

96 points
"Crackling minerality, stony notes, savoury. Shit yeah! This has it all. In youth, the pucker and chew something else, otherworldly compared to rank and file riesling. Leafy herbal notes, blackcurrant, more to add to the shopping cart of descriptors. It’s all about energy and vibrancy and deliciousness. In the slot."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

96 points
"Where classic Clare riesling is fine detail viewed in tight focus, this is a deep and dazzling image projected through a kaleidoscope. Its “otherness” is aromatically evident. Mango skin, lemongrass, preserved lemon, tangy margarita rims and a smidge of sourdough starter."
- Nick Ryan (The Australian)