Jacobs Creek Steingarten Riesling 2003 Saturday, Oct 21 2006
Tasting Notes and Australia and Eden Valley and Variety and White and riesling
Old Jeremy Oliver’s eyes must have popped right out of his head when he tasted this wine because he (as Lincoln would say) plopped a whopping 98 points on its head! Anyway, I have a full set of the current release ‘Heritage Range’ from Jacob’s Creek to taste. This includes the 99 Centenary Hill, 01 Johann Shiraz/Cabernet and 03 St Hugo. I thought I would start with a lovely cool riesling because it is such a lovely cool day in Sydney today….Actually I opened it yesterday and it looked very reduced and stinky so I tipped the initial glass out and popped the bottle back into the fridge with a bit of headspace to let it breathe. It looks better today.
Aromas of lime/lemon, apple, a little petrol, lavender and fennel bulb. Touch of asafoetida powder (reduction). On the palate delicate lemon/lime, minerals, dirt, lilac and crystallised violet (I’m feeling esoteric today) and some toasty development. Fabulous clean acidity. Beautifully pure and direct with remarkable length of flavour. Brilliant riesling. The reduction worries me a little but I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt.
Rated : 96 Points
Tasted : Oct06
Alcohol : 12%
Price : $30
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2006 - 2020
Source : Winery Sample
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17 Responses to “Jacobs Creek Steingarten Riesling 2003”
October 21st, 2006 at 5:36 pm
You are renowned, getting asafoetida in a tasting note, but only after I got fenugreek in an earlier one. Ha ha ha.
October 21st, 2006 at 5:42 pm
I am familiar with my Indian spices. I’ll cook you a curry one day. I have ALL the spices at home.
GW (the SpiceMaster)
October 21st, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Haa, I am the spice master. Let us have a curry taste-off - you name the genre…
October 21st, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Goan. Extra hot.
GW
October 21st, 2006 at 5:52 pm
You are on. When?
I will cook vindaloo.
Back on topic, I love the Steingarten, it is a great wine.
October 21st, 2006 at 5:53 pm
You are a cruel ephebiphobic, Jeremy is actually quite young complete with child under 10! I’m off for some echinacea to clear my sinuses.
October 21st, 2006 at 5:54 pm
I will cook vindaloo..but first I will have to go and find a dictionary!
GW
October 21st, 2006 at 9:05 pm
I get excited that there are 7 comments to the Steingarten notes only to find this pithery!!!
I am going back to my 2004 Rockford Riesling and 2004 Ch Pato DJP Shiraz.
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:38 am
Steingarten Rocks (apologies for the pun). I must have some. I will cellar it away from the Aussie rieslings and with my German gear in sympathy and recognition.
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:42 pm
wizz….thank you for my biggest laugh of the day!
November 3rd, 2006 at 12:36 pm
I finally have a glass, actually a bottle and glass, in front of me. Yes, this is very classy Riesling. Reasonably standard nose for a quality Eden Valley Riesling with lime/lemonade and slight onion that Gary alludes to, but it is the complex, mineral and textural acids on the palate, as well as mid-palate richness, that take this wine to the highest Riesling echelon. 96/100 (19/20) from me as well.
FWIW, I reckon that Clare Valley has lost its place at the top of the Australian Riesling tree with the 2001+ great Eden Valley vintages that are hitting the shelves.
Adair
November 3rd, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Noticed that at the 2006 Hyatt riesling challenge the 2003 Steingarten didn’t even make a bronze, beaten by its cheaper sister 2002 St Helga and of all things a Hunter riesling - hahahah.
Paul
November 3rd, 2006 at 1:36 pm
And if you are wondering who the judges were - they included Louisa Rose - Yalumba, David O’Leary and Wendy Stucky - Wolf Blass. Should know something about SA riesling.
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Paul,
I suspect it was dissed due to the sulphur odour, which may have been considered a fault. In fact, it probably is a fault and/or a fault of the closure. Due to this, I too have a concern over aging the wine, but I will take the chance. Interestingly, JO describes “it” as “slightly funky” and/or “smoky” – The Renowned One has obvious pinpointed it as “asafoetida powder”. Whichever way you look at it, wine judges are looking for a different aspects in a wine that me, especially at the preliminary stages. There is greatness in this puppy!
Adair
November 29th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
eden over clare?!?!?!? are you loco esse? steingarten, leonay and…..mesh - for how long has the label been there? who else in eden consistently delivers world class riesling? and grosset (and his life partner stephanie toole) made their names in clare, as has the barry clan, tim adams, knappstein, pikes, et al.
henty should also rate a mention i would think if we’re talking the shiznit with riesling.
getting back to it, steingarten 03 (and 02) are as good as anything i’ve had from clare recently.
does that make my previous comments null and/or void?
November 30th, 2006 at 7:51 am
Dylan,
Yes you are right. We should be considering quality over quantity. Eden Valley first, Henty/Drumborg/Far South West Victoria second and Clare Valley third.
Adair
November 30th, 2006 at 8:44 am
but what about the quantity of quality? haha! ok ok, i’ll put a cork in it, or as we’re talking riesling, a stelvin on it