2022 Charles Baker Riesling

There is already some depth to the colour: clear yellow with still a glint of light green and some gold reflections. A youthfully forward nose of citrus and stone fruits, peach with a hint of apricot, yellow apple and lemon crème against a veil of escarpment limestone. The palate shows round fruit for a moment before the requisite lemony acids kick in, promising a bright future. However, here in the present, this Riesling will be at its best with foods like sushi, pad Thai or gravlax and smoked salmon. Will also be perfect with richer ‘breaded’ items like schnitzel or shrimp spring rolls.

By all accounts, the quality of grapes in 2022 was exceptional across the board. Unfortunately, the 2022 crop was small, producing on average, just 50% of the yield of previous years. The new year began with cold temperatures throughout January and into February, the weather was variable with big swings in temperature, from unseasonably warm, to cooler than average. March gave a preview of spring, with warm weather and some melting, only to have winter re-emerge for a second act. April continued the theme, with colder than usual temperatures. Summer was relatively warm and dry, with a few storms bringing intermittent bursts of rain, but overall precipitation was lower than average. 2022 wines will be highly sought- after for both their quality and scarcity.