Henschke Julius Riesling 2024 1.5L

Intense lime pastille, chamomile aromas with herb garden, hint flinty notes. Beautifully concentrated and pure fruited riesling, with ample lime, lemon glacé fruits, fine bittersweet textures, a hint of tonic water and long fresh quartz-like acidity. Wonderful volume and mineral length; the fruit density offsetting the lowish alcohol beautifully. This has all the hallmarks of a classic bottling. Delicious to drink now, but bottle age complexity beckons.

Phenomenal length, some fruit sweetness fills in at the middle but is well balanced by a fine grip at the finish.

The 2024 Julius Riesling is lean and austere, both aromatically and in the mouth. One must wait for the length of flavour to subside prior to casting judgment upon it; and it is best that you do wait, because the length of flavour is surely one of the greatest determining factors of quality. Here… there is an array of white flowers, crushed fine quartz, citrus pith and lime oil, wrapped in a gauzy shroud of powder-fine phenolics, threaded together by saline acidity. It is long, subtle, composed and excellent. This is Eden Valley at its finest, and the finest Julius yet.

Pale straw in the glass… inviting aromas of Bickford’s lime cordial, fresh lime juice, green apple sorbet and grapefruit. Hints of crushed quartz, Christmas lily, citrus blossom, almond paste, ozone, lemongrass and makrut lime. There is a beautiful tubular, porcelain palate shape here, slickly focused and precise with a slight ache of umami as the wine tears across the tongue like a limey Shinkansen, finishing long, dry and beautifully balanced.

Mineral-driven notes of slate, wet stones, limes and talcum powder. The palate is tightly wound with a light-bodied mouthfeel and energetic acidity, giving notes of grapefruit, lemon peel and nectarines. A very focused and restrained wine that will develop nicely in the bottle over time.

A mild summer has defined a particularly enduring Julius. The delicacy of its lifted apple blossom fragrance is gorgeous, heralding a palate of classic lime and granny smith apple purity of considerable concentration. Cool season acidity traces a long finish of structured focus and long-term potential.