Saint Clair Pioneer Block 9 Big John Riesling 2023 (Marlborough)
top 5The team at Saint Clair is no stranger to the top spot here at Cuisine. In fact, I recently ran into some of the fantastic team members at an event and I was thanked for Cuisine always being so kind to Saint Clair. Their joy at their success and the humility to assume that the credit lay elsewhere took me aback. I reminded the team that in a blind tasting no one does anyone any favours. We take the integrity of the tastings very seriously at Cuisine, so even if we wanted to, we couldn’t take any credit. Kudos and the thanks is properly placed at the feet of the incredible winemaking team which has produced so many wines that are worthy of the accolade that is the top wine award from Cuisine.
Within the Saint Clair portfolio, the Pioneer Block range is a set of small-parcel wines made to reflect the influence of the land on the grapes. In the case of this specific wine it also reflects the physical stature of the vineyard owner from where the grapes hail. Standing at a not too stumpy six foot ten, John Walsh – AKA Big John – is the inspiration for this riesling which, I’m thinking, uncoincidentally sits in a tall tapered Alsatian bottle. Aesthetics aside, it’s what’s inside that really enraptured our judges. Pale in the glass with lovely clean citrus aromas on the nose. The palate is tight and focussed with fantastic acidity that is beautifully balanced against the sweetness present. Fresh and bright with a lively palate and a lipsmacking finish, it’s superb.
