La Linea Vertigo ’25GR’ Riesling 2022 (12 Bottles) Adelaide Hills

by Joval Wines

$286.00

AUSTRALIA WIDE SHIPPING INCLUDED

Not all winemakers are privileged to have the opportunity to work with a specific vineyard site over a lengthy period. It’s a special thing to be entrusted to nurture fruit into wine at any time; to do it from a block which produces first-rate fruit, for over a decade or more, is rare—and VERY special.

The block of vines which has been the exclusive source for the Vertigo Rieslings first bore fruit in 1998; Peter Leske has been very fortunate in being able to make it into wine every year since then. But it wasn’t until 2008 that Peter teamed up with David LeMire and the pair guided the fruit for the first time into a serious, delicately sweet (call it ‘off-dry’ if you wish) style: the ‘25GR’.

It’s a special site, perched high on a very steep, north-facing slope just north-west of Lenswood, at an altitude of over 500 m. The vines are mature but look younger; they’re relatively small and don’t grow vigorously on the shallow, quartz-flecked soil. But year in, year out, they produce fruit of remarkable quality and consistency, with amaaaaazing natural acidity.

And it’s this acidity which makes the 25GR possible, and special. Yes, there’s approximately 25 g/L of natural grape sweetness (retained when we turn the cooling on to stop the fermentation) which offers an extra dimension of mouthfeel and depth, but it’s the acid which ensures that the wine finishes dry and crisp; it keeps it light and refreshing. It’s not about the sugar! It’s about the acid.

Aromatically, there’s lovely cool-climate varietal perfume: lemon, lime, green apple and white flowers—and of course, the palate echoes these aromas. They persist and linger, which means that the wine has terrific length.

The low alcohol content means that you can have a second glass team it with Thai or Vietnamese food, or simply a sunny afternoon and a good view. Like the one over the vineyard.

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Description

About La Linea

La Linea is a collaboration between two highly experienced wine professionals: David LeMire MW and Peter Leske.

La Linea hatched in Peter Leske’s head in late 2006, soon after leaving Nepenthe. He had been Winemaker at the super-premium Adelaide Hills company since its foundation just over a decade earlier. Contemplating his next step, he found the aroma and taste of a dry, fine rosé made from Tempranillo grapes turning over and over in his mind. Imagining aromas and flavours that don’t exist can be frustrating – but it’s the winemaking equivalent of a melody forming in a songwriter’s brain; a melody which won’t go away until it’s played.

Their first vintage was in 2007, after Peter could not get the imagined aroma and taste of a pale, dry, fine Tempranillo rosé out of his mind. He knew an Adelaide Hills vineyard which produced fruit perfect for the wine… and La Linea was born.

The team has also made dry red Tempranillo for over a decade, always in fundamentally the same style: medium-bodied, with the variety’s typical fleshy mid-palate, drying tannins, and lower alcohol than many contemporary Aussie reds. And a fragrant lift which is delicious!

While passionate about Tempranillo, the team is not entirely focussed on one variety. They are also well-known for the carefully ‘off-dry’ Vertigo ‘25GR’ Riesling, and since 2016 they have produced Mencia, grown near the winery at Lenswood. This variety has its home in north-western Spain, where it is traditionally made into a light, relatively fragrant red for early consumption.

The La Linea style is now well established: brilliant purple in colour with a powerful nose of white pepper and red berries, and a vibrant, crunchy palate.

The seasons turn… nature throws up new conditions… vines mature… wines are made. The La Linea team thrives on the grounding influence of grapegrowing and winemaking, where the cyclical nature of the seasons offers annual renewal and challenge.

Joval Wines

At Joval Wines our focus is fine wine. Since 1963 we have been involved in all aspects of the wine industry; from the grape to the bottle to your glass. Our distribution companies: red+white and Mezzanine The Fine Wine Specialist are two of the most prestigious and well regarded in Australia. They represent some of the most popular and successful wine brands from Australia and around the world. We boast a growing team of passionate and dedicated professionals who work with our winery partners in building the equity of their brands, and with our customers to drive value in their business.

Our involvement in all aspects of the wine industry provides an exciting and diverse range of career opportunities. Joval Wines is committed to encouraging the responsible enjoyment of our wines by our staff, our customers and the wider community. To follow us, you must be of legal drinking age in your country of residence. Joval Wines is an Australian privately owned family company and is the parent company of a collection of highly successful, independent trading entities. We employ approximately 200 staff and have offices located throughout Australia and New Zealand, with alliances in Asia and Europe.

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