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Wild Earth Riesling 2023

  • Joelle Thomson
    17.5 Points
  • Sam Kim
    5 Points
  • Michael Cooper
    5 Points
  • Cameron Douglas MS
    94 Points
  • Candice Chow
    93 Points
    Gold - New Zealand International Wine Show Gold - Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition
Wild Earth Riesling 2023
  • Joelle Thomson
    17.5 Points
  • Sam Kim
    5 Points
  • Michael Cooper
    5 Points
  • Cameron Douglas MS
    94 Points
  • Candice Chow
    93 Points
    Gold - New Zealand International Wine Show Gold - Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition
Wild Earth Riesling 2023
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Wild Earth

Wild Earth Riesling 2023

SKU: WERS202310 UCNZ
15 Plus Years
$34.99 $31.99 / bottle
In Stock

Ships by same day or next business day

1 bottle
Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.
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The pristine Riesling grapes were hand harvested from a single vineyard near the Waitaki River at optimal ripeness

The gently pressed juice was inoculated with selected German Riesling yeast and fermented at cool temperatures to retain the fresh aromatics.

The fermentation was stopped at the perfect balance of residual sugar and acidity resulting in a just slightly off-dry wine with a long dry, crisp, and mineral finish.

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Wild Earth Riesling 2023

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Tasting Notes

Wild Earth Riesling 2023 is a masterful expression of pristine Riesling grapes hand harvested at optimal ripeness from a single vineyard near the Waitaki River. This region is renowned for its cool climate and mineral-rich soils, which impart a distinctive freshness and complexity to the wine.

The gently pressed juice undergoes fermentation with carefully selected German Riesling yeast at cool temperatures, preserving the vibrant aromatic profile. The winemaking process is artfully controlled, stopping fermentation at the ideal balance of residual sugar and acidity. This results in a slightly off-dry style that delights with crisp, lively fruit flavors and a long, dry, mineral-driven finish.

On the palate, Wild Earth Riesling 2023 offers bright notes of citrus blossom, green apple, and subtle stone fruit, layered with vibrant acidity and an elegant, refreshing minerality. The wine’s refined texture and harmonious structure make it a perfect companion to a wide range of dishes, from fresh seafood and Asian cuisine to light poultry fare.

Crafted to showcase the unique terroir of the Waitaki region, this Riesling captures both purity and complexity, making it an exceptional choice for those who appreciate a sophisticated yet approachable white wine. Its balanced sweetness and crisp acidity will appeal to enthusiasts seeking a wine with depth, freshness, and lasting finish.

red

White

2024

2023

icon-grapes-bold

Riesling

Wirra_Wirra

Wild Earth

McLaren_Vale_South_Australia_Australia

Central Otago

750ml_Bottle

750ml (Bottle)

10-15_Years

15 Plus Years

14

10.5%

icon-cork_7fa41e8a-1ddb-4194-95e8-f8169a35c5dd

Stelvin

Critic Scores

17.5Joelle Thomson

“Beautiful crisp young Riesling with fresh acidity balancing rich peachy suggesting a cool southern climate, which is where the grapes in this wine grew in North Otago. Flavours here range from intense lime and green apples to zesty lemon and there is brightness in every lingering sip”.

5Sam Kim

“Exquisite and pure, the wine shows lemon/lime zest, crunchy apple and white floral aromas with a hint of toasty complexity. The concentrated palate displays brilliant focus and persistency, superbly enhanced with subtle sweetness and beautifully pitched acidity, finishing refined and deliciously appealing. Style: Off-dry. At its best: now to 2034”.

5Michael Cooper

“Full of character, the bright, light lemon/green 2022 vintage (*****) is a single-vineyard wine, hand-harvested in the Waitaki Valley. Still a baby, it is attractively scented and light-bodied, with penetrating, peachy, citrusy, slightly spicy flavours, gentle sweetness (20 grams/litre of residual sugar) balanced by mouth-watering acidity, and lovely vigour, depth and harmony. Best drinking 2027+”.

94Cameron Douglas MS

“A vibrant and vivacious bouquet, a delicious palate with flavours of lie and elderflower, lemon, apple and white rose. An off-dry expression with some sweetness with contrasting acidity. Flavours of apricot stone and pineapple, citrus and tree fruits. Salivating and refreshing, a delicious aperitif style, best drinking from 2024 through 2030+”.

93Candice Chow

“Bright, even, pale yellow. The nose is gently full and poised, with aromas of citrus and peels, golden apple, stonefruit, blossom and mineral threads. Medium-light bodied, off-dry to taste, aromas of golden apple, lime and zest intertwined with peach, blossom, saline and chalky minerals. The pristine fruit shows a sense of purity; crisp, invigorating acidity is well-balanced by sweetness. Fine, chalky minerals contribute to the palate texture and a hint of smokiness. This low-alcohol Riesling is refreshing, well-balanced and packed with purity and texture. Match with breakfast sausages and fish tacos with hot sauce over the next 5+ years. Fruit from Waitaki Valley, handpicked, whole bunch pressed to stainless steel, inoculated, fermented to 10.5% alc, 20.3 g/l RS. 18.5/20 pts (93 pts)”.

Vinification & Cultivation

Crafted only for our premium wines

Vineyard Cultivation

Wild Earth, the boutique Central Otago label founded by Quintin Quider, draws its Riesling from a single vineyard in the Waitaki Valley of North Otago, close to the Waitaki River. This limestone-influenced, genuinely cool-climate site lies near the southern limit of viable viticulture, giving slow ripening, bright natural acidity and clear mineral definition. For the 2023 vintage the fruit was again hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, in keeping with the small-batch, hand-tended approach applied across the range. The marginal climate and river-valley setting are central to the wine's style, favouring aromatic lift and freshness over weight, with elevation and cool nights helping preserve the acid backbone.

Vinification

The hand-picked fruit was gently pressed and the juice inoculated with a selected German Riesling yeast strain, then fermented at cool temperatures to retain delicate aromatics. Fermentation was stopped at a point balancing residual sugar against acidity to produce a just slightly off-dry style, with gentle sweetness offset by crisp, mineral length. No oak is used; the approach is aromatic and reductive, aimed at purity and persistence. The finished wine sits at around 10.5 per cent alcohol. Vintage-specific residual-sugar and pressing figures for 2023 were not separately published, so the method described follows the winery's stated house protocol for this bottling.

About this Wine

Central Otago

Central Otago is the southernmost wine growing region in the world, located at a latitude of 45 degrees south, on New Zealand’s south island. A spectacular landscape makes the region one of the most scenic wine regions if not in the world then certainly in New Zealand. Central to the region is the tourist destination of Queenstown, which is a great base to make wine trips from. Heavy mineral deposits in silt loams are typical for the soils in Central Otago, but is unlike any other region in New Zealand. The Otago region is the countries only ‘continental ’ wine growing region. Pinot Noir is the flagship red varietal, which is very well suited to the regions large diurnal shifts (a large diurnal shift means a big difference between low and high temperatures) and also the regions long, cool and dry autumn. The Pinot Noirs coming out of the Otago region are most often fragrant, lush Pinot Noirs with silky textures and true fruit intensity. Aromatic whites also thrive, in particular Riesling where anything from bone-dry to very sweet can be made. Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and lesser amounts of Chardonnay is also made to a very high quality. Central Otago is in Jancis Robinson’s top five New World wine producing regions.

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