Alkoomi, Melaleuca, Frankland River, Western Australia, 2017

Alkoomi started in 1971 with just 1ha of estate vines; today it has 105ha. Melaleuca is a single block of Riesling from that 1971 planting. The Hallett family’s philosophy has always been to favour quality over quantity, and to farm the land in an environmentally sustainable way. The fruit is harvested in the early morning, immediately pressed then left on its lees for some time after to enhance its flavours. Roger Jones: Elegant sweetness on the nose, while the palate is full flavoured with saline notes and a depth of fruit. It is complex and layered yet controlled; a racy wine that is exuberant now but will evolve beautifully. Sarah Knowles MW: Searing and intense acidity, showing sherbet aromas and tart lemon on the palate, with a wet-stone finish. Precise, intense and lengthy. Anthony Rose: Youthful, tight aromatic profile with intense sweet and sour fruit and an almost Rheingau-like character. Good length and flavour, even though still young, with weight and intensity and a long, bone-dry, mineral finish. Still needs plenty of time to unfold.