External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.3 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 64 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by colinscellar on 2/18/2024 & rated 91 points: I think 2008 was hot for SA so I was worried this could be forward-developed and tired, but thankfully it's still in very good condition.
Colour is still pale to mid-yellow. Kerosene the dominant note on the nose but it's not overpowering, there's plenty of lime and lemon citrus alongisde it as well as some honeysuckle and other florals.
On the palate the lime is dominant and has a moxture of fresh lime and more developed Bickfords lime cordial. Also some lemon curd and honey. The wine has gained some weight with a roundness and texture in the mouth, though the acidity is strong and zippy, almost spritzy.
Great stuff and probably peaking now, at least for my taste. The acid is still strong so I don't think it's going to fall away too soon, but I think the current flavour profile is a good balance of fresh and developed fruit and I don't see a benefit waiting for the freshness to all turn mature. (369 views) | | | Tasted by sfqwino on 12/31/2023 & rated 93 points: Great acidic structure and secondary notes. Needs food and it is such a good food wine. (274 views) | | | Tasted by nzinkgraf on 5/13/2022: Jesus, an extreme ripper of an aroma right off the twist off. Smells a little reduced which is wild for some 13 year old Grosset, palate is just dynamite right from the get go. High acid, lime leaf, lime pith, peach and gasoline, almost has a white burg note that’s I’d attribute to oak, but this is just crazy. Medium/- extract on the palate. Damn, these easily have to be 25-30 year wines.
Such a great pair with plain rice. (1144 views) | | | Tasted by mphatic on 10/10/2021: Screwcap, 13% alc. Brilliant, light yellow gold.
Intense lime, salt spray, browned toast, and a slight pyrotechnics note on the nose.
A penetrating and powerful palate, with piercing acidity. Excellent length. Don’t drink too cold. (843 views) | | | Tasted by StewartWent on 9/26/2021 & rated 90 points: Looking good, as it should be, but this did surprise on the upside. Youthful green tinge amongst the gold yellow. Balanced, calm, long palate; only the faintest touches of kro. Minerals and citrus in touched but def has subtle touch. Then again, it's 13yrs old. There's another 3 to 5 years here. (1685 views) | | | Tasted by lightning on 8/11/2021 & rated 93 points: This was a joy to drink, and in a nice place at the moment. Sealed under screwcap, pale to medium straw in colour, slight kerosene and white nectarine and wet rock aromas; medium-bodied, flows with a classy texture, the wine is balanced on the palate, the acidity now seamlessly integrated, the wet rock and white nectarine shimmers on the midpalate, and nice length. Wonderful. (1745 views) | | | Tasted by Jason Wu on 4/22/2021 & rated 94 points: Appearance: Medium gold.
On the nose: Medium+ intensity, petrol, fresh lemon, honey cake, honeycomb, cashew nuts, developing.
Palate: Dry, high acidity, med alcohol, med+ intensity, med body, lemon, honey cake, tingling, long finish.
Overall, very good wine. Can drink now, but suitable for ageing. (1738 views) | | | Tasted by SimonPh on 2/6/2021 & rated 90 points: Kerosene nose developing. Just on the right side of aroma and flavour. (1644 views) | | | Tasted by David Meddings on 9/3/2020 & rated 92 points: Decanted 1.5 hours. Dark yellow. Strongly mineral with kerosene notes on the nose. Brisk attack unfolds immediately into an interplay of flint stone minerality and tart lemon carried on an almost palpable base of floral inflected juice. There is a rather uncanny sense of massive extraction married with great finesse here. Lovely.
It's quite interesting to scan over the notes on this wine (dating back to some brave souls trying this in 2009!). There is a clear reflection of this wine's trajectory, and as Villon and Andrew have both mentioned recently, the strong acidity apparent in the wine's younger years is giving way to a rounder and fuller wine. I think this wine is only now starting to sing and can easily make another another 5-8 years. (1804 views) | | | Tasted by Andrew67 on 4/30/2020 & rated 94 points: Still very bright with similar lime, green apple and mineral notes. I can't sense any signs of ageing at all, so am revising my drink by date by a few years. Lovely example of Riesling. (1624 views) | | | Tasted by Villon on 2/23/2020 & rated 92 points: Le vin commence afin à se situer son sur plateau. L'acidité vive a laissé place à plus de rondeur. (1848 views) | | | Tasted by chbeaumont on 12/8/2019 & rated 91 points: Pale; classic Clare lime, austere, strict; bracing acidity, tight as a drum, bone dry, compact, rigid; concentrated, still yet to fully realise itself. May turn out outstanding with a few more years. (1478 views) | | | Tasted by David Meddings on 8/16/2019 & rated 92 points: Notes from memory and after 8 days. Medium yellow. Nose shows floral and citrus notes with a faint edge of petrol. Palate is very complete - full throttle dry Riesling with a great final. I enjoyed this tremendously and it was interesting to drink it alongside a Boxler 2010 Sommerberg from Alsace, which was equally complex but had a heft given by the residual sugar. Here, Grosset achieves the heft through extraction and fantastic fruit.
Wonderful stuff and has me thinking about ideal pairings. Seafood dishes with a sauce that the acidity and dryness here can complement, cheese plates, or just on its own en apperitif I think. Best served not too cold. (1543 views) | | | Tasted by Keith Clark on 5/4/2019 & rated 90 points: Shiny, greenish light gold, Masses on the nose: petrol, apples, lime zest, grapefruit zest and (white) juice, peaches and nectarines, fleshy juiced grapes; unmistakably Riesling but I would have guessed this was fresh and young. Big acid still, minerally-dry but with lime juice and oily textures. The acidity leaves an almost sour finish after sweeter flavours earlier. There's some good floral flavours too. An amazing cornucopia - and I wish I had left this single bottle longer, (1354 views) | | | Tasted by Andrew67 on 4/16/2018 & rated 95 points: Long story, but on the first night we only had a small drop from the bottle. I thought it was a bit flat at that point and was seriously thinking about selling the other bottles. 2 nights later and what a difference. There remains so much life and vitality to the wine. Lots of lemon, peach, grapefruit, with a flinty, mineral backbone and amazing length. Very enjoyable. Its getting better with age. (2145 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 12/4/2017 & rated 91 points: Sans notes (2506 views) | | | Tasted by Villon on 10/8/2017 & rated 89 points: Bon vin, mais très tendu, carré, acidulé. On a presque l'impression de croquer dans un citron. C'est long et concentré, mais plus austère que le plus orthodoxe des jansénistes. Meilleur que ma 1re bouteille, mais reste un peu trop cérébral à mon goût. N'a pas du tout le profil baroque des rieslings autrichiens ou parfois alsacien. Un peu de sucre résiduel aurait peut-être pu attendrir le tout? 89 (2276 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 7/16/2017: Expressive nose of lime blossom, toast, smoky mineral and slate. The palate is bone dry and piercing. There's a huge squeeze of Tahitian ,lime and it is still relatively compact and linear. Length is impressive. (2689 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 12/23/2016 & rated 90 points: Couleur pâle, encore très jeune avec ses arômes d'ananas confit et une pointe de pétrole. Droit, tendu comme le sont les Riesling de Clare Valley, seule la finale déçoit un peu par son manque de vitalité et de tension. (3117 views) | | | Tasted by ProfByron on 11/13/2016 & rated 88 points: This is more plain, with hard (added?) acid, closer to commercial dry Riesling than other vintages of Polish Hill. It's still true to the wine's style which is steely and austere, but now it's hard. Not much fun.
13%ABV, sealed with screwcap. (2297 views) | | | Tasted by nwebstar on 10/5/2016 & rated 94 points: Such lovely ageing - all the great taunt steeliness of the Polish Hill now with age somehow bounded within a more rounded flavour and texture. Even a little Chablis like with a tinge of sea shell. Refined and balanced - thoroughly enjoyable. (2415 views) | | | Tasted by Francois Le Mouel on 8/26/2016 & rated 94 points: That's the kind of riesling I like. Full bodied, super complex with petrol, lime and "brioched" aromas. Long finish. Have it with a grilled meat (pork?)...really really nice. An amazing wine, especially at this price ($55CDN). (2645 views) | | | Tasted by ludwigbpm on 3/20/2016 & rated 88 points: Un sorti bizarrement dur, acide, sans le charme qu'il possédait la dernière que j'ai ouvert une fiole. (2591 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 11/15/2015: The nose is just showing a hint of petrol and toast development. There are notes of slate and citrus blossom as well. The palate is compact, lean and linear. It's all lemon juice and mineral. It finishes with good cut and under screwcap should live for another decade or two. (2324 views) | | | Tasted by Andrew67 on 10/3/2015 & rated 93 points: Still young. Green apple and lime on the palate. Lovely mineral hints through the wine. Acidity is still quite pronounced, so wonder where this will go in 5 years.
Day 2 - still fresh, with apple, lime and minerals. Great length. Slight kerosene on the nose. Upping this to 93pts. (2109 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and The WINEFRONT and Winedoctor and Halliday Wine Companion. (manage subscription channels) |
| Grosset Producer website
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
Grosset Wines is an independently owned winery producing seven highly regarded premium wines each vintage.
Established in 1981, the winery is situated in the historic township of Auburn at the southern tip of the Clare Valley, 100 kilometres north of Adelaide.
While in its fourth decade, annual production is capped at 11,000 cases (dozens), predominantly produced from twenty two hectares of estate vineyards. Remaining small and focused has allowed Grosset to preserve the character and individuality of the wines, developing a significant international profile by producing wines deemed consistently outstanding, benchmarks in their class.
Jeffrey Grosset, owner and founder, has always been an innovator, challenging tradition and questioning accepted practices.
He campaigned to institute the legal integrity of the riesling grape in Australia, was a leading proponent for the introduction of screwcap closures and privately funded research into the subject.
Grosset Wines’ philosophy has remained steadfast over thirty years. The emphasis is on purity of fruit.
The organically managed vineyards are hand tended, and each bunch of grapes is harvested at optimum ripeness. The winemaking process is gentle and uncomplicated.
With dedication, discipline and the application of knowledge garnered through decades of experience, the result is the finest expression of variety and place.
Jeffrey Grosset was voted the inaugural Australian Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller WINE in 1998, and is internationally recognised as one of the ‘Top 10 White Winemakers’ (Decanter, UK) and one of the ‘50 Most Influential Winemakers’ (Wine & Spirits, USA) in the world today.2008 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill Clare ValleyWinery's notes: "That glint in his eyes will tell you that Jeff Grosset believes the 2008 harvest has brought with it a great Polish Hill Riesling, certainly the best under his label since 2002. The style is unwaveringly Polish Hill, tight, coiled, unyielding, even repressed at present, but promising much for the patient winelover. The aromatics are restrained with mere hints of limey minerality while the palate is vibrant, long and deep with intense slatey, quartzy minerality and mouth-watering limey, lemony notes. It has additional dimensions of power and intensity while showing its characteristic lean austere frame before taut, racy acidity highlights an ultra-dry finish of extraordinary length. This is a beautifully balanced riesling of great finesse that needs time to show it at its best."Riesling Varietal character (Appellation America) | A short history of Riesling (Uncork) | Riesling (wikipedia)Polish HillGrosset Polish Hill is produced exclusively from the eight-hectare estate-owned Polish Hill Vineyard (certified organic) in the Clare Valley. The gently sloping site, selected and planted by Grosset more than two decades ago, is comprised of silt and shallow shales over a thin crust of clay and gravel. This overlays a bed of blue slate, estimated to be around 500-million-years old.
This ‘hard rock’ site was originally part of a larger estate but was considered to be of limited agricultural value and so was sold off. The vines here struggle to draw nutrients from the soil, so the bunches and berries are small, and the fruit flavours lean and austere. Indeed, this vineyard exemplifies how old-rock profiles can contribute to a wine’s character.
Relatively close-planted to three clones (two German and one rare local clone), this organic vineyard is completely tended by hand; hand-pruning, shoot and crop adjustment and 100% hand harvesting ensure pristine quality organic fruit is delivered to the (ACO certified) organic status winery at Auburn.
No tillage is employed and no fertilisers are introduced: a mix of natural and introduced clovers and grasses are maintained between the vines and allowed to self-seed.
Since the first striking example of the wine in 1981, Grosset has maintained a winemaking approach which brings out the best of this unique site.
Its challenging rocky profile results in low yields with an average of two bottles of wine per vine being produced.
‘We planted the Polish Hill vineyard in 1996, following years of research into the influences of soil, rock and altitude on riesling. Being a hard rock site overlaid with silty, low fertility soils, the vines struggle and crops are low. While challenging to manage, the result is strikingly different.’ JG
Polish Hill Riesling
Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Mount Lofty Ranges Mount Lofty Ranges (wikipedia)Clare Valley Clare Valley (South Australian Tourism Comission) |
|
