The Auswine Forum

Straw poll guys, who is going to buy Grosset's new special release? $95/pop

Honestly if I was ordering something else I would probably chuck a bottle in but its a bit rich for my blood to buy a 6 pack

The full spiel: "For 40 years, we have crushed and fermented various clones of riesling separately. These clonal components are typically blended or reunited according to the source vineyard, prior to bottling. Having a vineyard planted to a mix of clones has been shown to contribute to the consistency and complexity of our single vineyard rieslings.

Four years ago, my daughter Georgie suggested we bottle a few dozen of each riesling clone from different vineyards and taste each over time. One clone consistently expressed more concentration and persistence, but was less fruity.

At our Rockwood vineyard (ACO certified organic), just one clone is planted on a strip of silty loam over red rock. The riesling berries and bunches are small. The clone is the one noted as exceptional.

In 2019 we produced just 1100 bottles of wine from these vines. In reference to my daughter Georgie and the riesling clone, the wine is simply called G110.

Powerful yet subtle, extended time on lees has enhanced the wine’s complexity, texture and distinction."

John Hughes opened the gates with number 10, Peter Barry happily stepped through with the Mosel combo number and now Grossett.
Give me three Merle's/Florita's or 4 Clos Clare's, 6 Petaluma, or a host of other $20-30 wines anyday.
Guess it had to happen...but it's an absolute pisstake. Riesling is the easiest and cheapest wine to make...picked fermented bottled and released all in about 8-12 weeks.
Don't think this fad will turn into a trend.
Cheers Craig

If it is truly exceptional and unique, it might be worth getting...even if it is a lot for AU Riesling...

If it is just a single vineyard wine and because they haven't made a lot they want to charge more..then they're just taking the piss...

I'm with Craig. won't be buying this, or the Rieslingfreak or the Jim Barry at those prices. I'm sure they will come up at auction at under half the rrp.
Would rather LEAS or something similar....whats VAT 1 at now? Could buy 2 of those? Or possibly 3 1927 vines marsanne?
I like the comment of three Merle's/Florita's or 4 Clos Clare's, 6 Petaluma's

How did they resist pricing it at $110?

I must say, I'm more excited at the thought of an Eden riesling, or Drumborg, or even Tasmania than I am by Clare, especially as I try and think back to the rieslings that have been really memorable.*
Too much lemon detergent from Clare.
*Actually, Rudesheim Berg is the place...
Graeme

I don’t buy or drink that much Riesling these days, but I’ve never really been taken by Grosset rieslings so never going to try this one with my own coin.

The only Aus Riesling I’ve bought in that ballpark is Crawford River Reserve, but they are released with 10+ years on them (2008 current), and I know I love them, and even then it’s a very special occasion!

Yes indeed Willard, forgot that one, and have just done same after receiving the recent mailer...That and Seppelts Drumborg, right up there!
Cheers Craig

Maybe this is for the Chinese market?

I must say, some of the elevated Aussie rieslings such as Florita I'm only new to. Very impressive- and I've presented them to international audiences.

JamieBahrain wrote:Maybe this is for the Chinese market?

I must say, some of the elevated Aussie rieslings such as Florita I'm only new to. Very impressive- and I've presented them to international audiences.

+1, picked up the 12 and 17 for less than $40 a bottle...world class wines. Have not been down to my cellar for many weeks now, but believe there are 3 or 4 '02 buried somewhere. Mike (NYC) might be able to provide an update on how they are travelling.
Cheers Craig

Opened an '05 Florita last night. Initial impressions were very good. Stacked with beautiful clean fruits, precise acidity and ages left in the tank. However, after a couple of small glasses it kind of became a bit "samey". Maybe hold for another five years. Not a patch on an old Grosset PH Mark Carrington and I shared at Lord's last year. That was truly epic... apart from Smith getting knocked on the head by Joffra.

Opened this thread expecting to be a new electronic product....

GraemeG wrote:How did they resist pricing it at $110?

I must say, I'm more excited at the thought of an Eden riesling, or Drumborg, or even Tasmania than I am by Clare, especially as I try and think back to the rieslings that have been really memorable.*
Too much lemon detergent from Clare.
*Actually, Rudesheim Berg is the place...
Graeme

Ditto on all this...except there are a heap of site in Germany at least as good as Rudesheimer Berg...

Wizz wrote:

GraemeG wrote:How did they resist pricing it at $110?

I must say, I'm more excited at the thought of an Eden riesling, or Drumborg, or even Tasmania than I am by Clare, especially as I try and think back to the rieslings that have been really memorable.*
Too much lemon detergent from Clare.
*Actually, Rudesheim Berg is the place...
Graeme

Ditto on all this...except there are a heap of site in Germany at least as good as Rudesheimer Berg...

I just picked up a single vineyard German riesling that is within the heart of a larger vinyard for way less money. Had there been three bottles on the shelf I could have had them all, with tax, for less than a single bottle of the G110.

Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali wrote:

Wizz wrote:

GraemeG wrote:How did they resist pricing it at $110?

I must say, I'm more excited at the thought of an Eden riesling, or Drumborg, or even Tasmania than I am by Clare, especially as I try and think back to the rieslings that have been really memorable.*
Too much lemon detergent from Clare.
*Actually, Rudesheim Berg is the place...
Graeme

Ditto on all this...except there are a heap of site in Germany at least as good as Rudesheimer Berg...

I just picked up a single vineyard German riesling that is within the heart of a larger vinyard for way less money. Had there been three bottles on the shelf I could have had them all, with tax, for less than a single bottle of the G110.

Mahmoud.

Shame its not like that here - Grosses Gewachs don't usually hit the shelves in Australia for under $A100.

Also fascinates me that Pinot Noir geeks bang on endlessly about clones, but Riesling geeks don't. I have a book that goes into depth on Riesling clones. I understand 110 is fairly common (most of our Auburns were 110 from right across Central Otago), but this is a new world name that I cant map to an old world clone name.

Wizz, not sure I have ever thought about Riesling clones...and I suspect that most of us Riesling lovers are the same. We just drink the stuff, sweet, dry, crisp, minerally, acid driven, what ever I like pretty well all of them.
Cheers Craig

phillisc wrote:Wizz, not sure I have ever thought about Riesling clones...and I suspect that most of us Riesling lovers are the same. We just drink the stuff, sweet, dry, crisp, minerally, acid driven, what ever I like pretty well all of them.
Cheers Craig

I asked a burgundy loving friend who has visited there many times whether Burgundians talk about clones. No - no they dont. Maybe the riesling community is the same.

phillisc wrote:Wizz, not sure I have ever thought about Riesling clones...and I suspect that most of us Riesling lovers are the same. We just drink the stuff, sweet, dry, crisp, minerally, acid driven, what ever I like pretty well all of them.

Good point Craig, and amen to that. It's hard enough among my group to guess the wine whem served blind. Imagine having to guess the clone. I think Grosset should stuff themselves.

And as a Canadian let me just add "Sorry".

Mahmoud Ali wrote:

phillisc wrote:Wizz, not sure I have ever thought about Riesling clones...and I suspect that most of us Riesling lovers are the same. We just drink the stuff, sweet, dry, crisp, minerally, acid driven, what ever I like pretty well all of them.

Good point Craig, and amen to that. It's hard enough among my group to guess the wine when served blind. Imagine having to guess the clone. I think Grosset should stuff themselves.

And as a Canadian let me just add "Sorry".

I just received the first review of the G110 from Grosset in an email headed "Dear *[FNAME]*," ...

--
Grosset G110 Clare Valley Riesling 2019

Just when we were all convinced that there was nothing more that the uber-fanatical Jeffrey Grosset could possibly do to make riesling of any more profound distinction, he has gone and honed his regime to an all new level of molecular detail.

As the story goes, after 40 years of fermenting riesling clones separately, one consistently stood out as more concentrated, more persistent and less fruity. It was his daughter Georgie who suggested that they trial bottling individual clones (hence 'G' in the name), and only 1100 bottles of this, the best clone, have been produced. The result is a riesling like nothing I have tasted from Australia.

A singularity of just one clone from one plot, yet more exuberantly concentrated, more generously luscious, more exotically spicy, more emphatically persistent, more euphorically alluring. It immediately transported me to the fabled Ürziger Würzgarten in the Mosel (perhaps the red soil link and its inherent spicy exoticism?). G110 is every bit as emphatically distinct to Polish Hill and Springvale as Ürziger Würzgarten is to Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Bernkasteler Lay. And it is every bit as mesmerising as them all.

Its fragrant, spice-laden generosity spans the full expanse of fruit spectrum from apple and pear to stone fruits and citrus, packed with all of the breadth of its dry, low-yielding season, enlivened magnificently with crystalline acidity and salty minerality. This salt mineral signature is a world away from the slate of Polish Hill and the limestone of Springvale.

In line and length, G110 takes Australian riesling to hitherto unknown heights. And for all it represents, it's a bargain, too. Kudos Jeff - and Georgie. Respect. 97 points.

Tyson Stelzer, www.tysonstelzer.com, April 8th 2020

sjw_11 wrote:
A singularity of just one clone from one plot, yet more exuberantly concentrated, more generously luscious, more exotically spicy, more emphatically persistent, more euphorically alluring. It immediately transported me to the fabled Ürziger Würzgarten in the Mosel (perhaps the red soil link and its inherent spicy exoticism?). G110 is every bit as emphatically distinct to Polish Hill and Springvale as Ürziger Würzgarten is to Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Bernkasteler Lay. And it is every bit as mesmerising as them all.

Could easily slide this into the News From Stoney Goose Ridge thread.

Have met Tyson numerous times in Adelaide, for the Great Australian Red competition and have a copy of his champagne magnum opus.
Great conversation and a nice chap but, this stinks of a John Laws cash for comment. What an absolute load of fucking bullshit...sorry for cranky mid life geezer rant...perhaps should have expressed this better but seriously...Respect
Respect, how about respecting the punters who have been buying Riesling for decades when it was on its knees as a variety in this country, grafted over to Chardy, Sauv Blanc and who knows what, who for love of the grape have kept many a maker in Clare afloat.
Not even the marketing department at Henschke have stooped this low...perhaps the sound of crickets during this difficult time has softened the Grey Matter of a wine scribe.
When I next bump into Mr Grosset I'll ask if said wine is four times better than Mesh (of which I have many vintages)...the price certainly is
Cheers Craig

TravisW wrote:Opened an '05 Florita last night. Initial impressions were very good. Stacked with beautiful clean fruits, precise acidity and ages left in the tank. However, after a couple of small glasses it kind of became a bit "samey". Maybe hold for another five years. Not a patch on an old Grosset PH Mark Carrington and I shared at Lord's last year. That was truly epic... apart from Smith getting knocked on the head by Joffra.

I have had 3 bottles of the 05 Florita this year, 2 of which were with people who initially professed to hating Riesling. All of them were converts by the end of the bottle. I really think it’s just entering its window.. and I agree with Travis, there’s many years left. I bought 5 cases at release and regret not having bought more.

The ageing profile of both Riesling and Semillon (HV at least )confuses and puts off many people.. my guess is a result of no oak. As such, the complexity appears diminished as there’s one less component that changes over time.

I also opened the 09 and 12 Florita in March. Both are yet to show the overt lime characters I love, but they are still well short of their apogee. They will be excellent wines in time. Anyone who enjoyed the old LB’s from this vineyard will know what I’m talking about.

As regular readers know I’m a real fan of aged Clare Riesling (and Alsace for that matter) and I’d put Florita alongside GPH in most years, with Merle just behind both. I’m not as enamoured with Drumborg as most, though I see the quality of Crawford reserve. When it comes to longevity, particularly in the past great vintages, GPH seems to come out as number 1. For example, the 02 is moving at a glacial pace.

It’s noteworthy how many of the lauded critics in Oz have Florita as arguably their number 1 domestic Riesling. I recall a GT Wine magazine article where’s critics had to pick 6 bottles to showcase the best wines of Oz, and several picked Florita. I vaguely recall one chose GPH, and the rest probably avoided Riesling altogether. Cheers

According to the Grosset spiel (see Sam's post at the top) the G110 comes from the Rockwood vineyard and therefore the wine did not go into either Polish Hill or Springvale. So where did this fruit go to prior to the 2019 vintage?

Mahmoud.

phillisc wrote:Have met Tyson numerous times in Adelaide, for the Great Australian Red competition and have a copy of his champagne magnum opus.
Great conversation and a nice chap but, this stinks of a John Laws cash for comment. What an absolute load of fucking bullshit...sorry for cranky mid life geezer rant...perhaps should have expressed this better but seriously...Respect
Respect, how about respecting the punters who have been buying Riesling for decades when it was on its knees as a variety in this country, grafted over to Chardy, Sauv Blanc and who knows what, who for love of the grape have kept many a maker in Clare afloat.
Not even the marketing department at Henschke have stooped this low...perhaps the sound of crickets during this difficult time has softened the Grey Matter of a wine scribe.
When I next bump into Mr Grosset I'll ask if said wine is four times better than Mesh (of which I have many vintages)...the price certainly is
Cheers Craig

Being a cranky middled aged greying man, I also detest this type of TN .

I have also known Tyson a long time, since before he was a wine scribe / events host. He has one of the best white wine palates I've ever come across.

The discussion about why he writes and scores the way he does is fascinating.

I am however interested to try the wine. If I need to pay $A100 or more for good GGs (Donnhoff, Schafer Frohlich, Clemens Busch, Georg Bruer, and up from there for the likes of Keller) and Grand Cru Alsace (ZH, Wienbach, Hugel etc) then lets see how this stacks up.

Wizz wrote:
Being a cranky middled aged greying man, I also detest this type of TN .

Can I get a clarification on what 'middle aged' is these days?

I have been pushing the number back for a decade....

phillisc wrote: When I next bump into Mr Grosset I'll ask if said wine is four times better than Mesh (of which I have many vintages)...the price certainly is
Cheers Craig

The thing that struck me as odd was "he has gone and honed his regime to an all new level of molecular detail"

Really............. a new level of molecular detail?
How do you do that? Is it referring to the clone or did he just change yeasts?

Doubtful he dissected each and every grape and analysed its molecular structure under a microscope......... or did he

Germany, France, Austria.... Australia?

C'mon. 60 USD for a top-tier riesling is not much compared to the previous- even Austria where top-tier riesling can far exceed this price. Do we want to be considered a great riesling producing nation? And to be honest, our rieslings are very sound but hardly world beaters for the most. I think these strives for high quality Australia products need to be commended.

It's actually a time to get behind Australian products and whatever industry we have left. I'm not suggesting the above are tall poppy gripes yet in these times and in the future successful and profitable Aussies need to be celebrated. I look forward to trying this wine.

Hell, I thought I had a Riesling problem, but I am just a rank amateur...5 cases of 05 Florita!!! Sixer's or dozens if I dare ask?
Mike would hate to think what then the buying habits are of your first love...great that life has treated you well.

I thought that a few mixed cases and a bit of a run in 02 and 12 was a problem ( and George has put me in therapy ), but I certainly need not worry now

Cheers craig

JamieBahrain wrote:Germany, France, Austria.... Australia?

C'mon. 60 USD for a top-tier riesling is not much compared to the previous- even Austria where top-tier riesling can far exceed this price. Do we want to be considered a great riesling producing nation? And to be honest, our rieslings are very sound but hardly world beaters for the most. I think these strives for high quality Australia products need to be commended.

It's actually a time to get behind Australian products and whatever industry we have left. I'm not suggesting the above are tall poppy gripes yet in these times and in the future successful and profitable Aussies need to be celebrated. I look forward to trying this wine.

Perhaps you can shout me a glass , certainly not in my budget or indeed on my radar.
Cheers craig