2025 Oria-Riff Old Vine Semillon Dry White

Cooper David-Draper might come across a pretty laid-back winemaker, but the wines he's making under Oria-Riff are dead serious. He's sourced this fruit from Fiona Wood’s iconic 1960s block in McLaren Vale, growing on deep sand. Cooper throws the blueprint for standard, squeaky-clean Aussie Semillon out the window, leaning into old barrels and full malolactic fermentation for texture and character aplenty.

This 2025 release is a beautifully left-field white with heaps of texture and real intention, keeping the alcohol low but turning the dials right up on complexity. There's a raw, unpeeled edge here that we absolutely love, and really keeps you coming back to the glass.

It's savoury and deep on the palate. Think salted orchard fruits, dried citrus leaf, a distinct nutty undertow, and a waxy, coastal crunch that stretches out long. It's idiosyncratic, unforced, and easily one of the most exciting alternative whites coming out of the Vale right now.

95+ points
"There’s such depth at low abv, and also a feeling of matter, of extract. Saline, waxy, chalky, with ozone beach scents... quickly becoming one of my favourite Vale whites."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)