Jeanneret Big Fine Girl Riesling 2009 (Clare Valley, SA)

NOTES

Jeanneret Wines began under fairly unusual circumstances when Denis, a Swiss chemist and his wife Patricia moved to Sevenhill in the Clare Valley, South Australia. Denis decided he’d have a go at self sufficiency and, as it turned out, he was very good at making his own wine and Jeanneret Wines was created in 1992. In 1994 Denis and Pat’s son, Ben, joined the business and built a winery and planted some vines on what is now the Stumbling Block Vineyard, on the hill behind the family home.

In 1999, the sudden death of Denis left Ben at the helm. Since the initial crush of about 5 tonnes, Jeanneret Wines now has the capacity to crush 350 tonnes annually and has become a very busy small winery.  Today Ben employs a team of seven people, including an assistant winemaker, and produces around 12,000 cases of wine under the Jeanneret label.

TASTING NOTES

Big Fine Girl is a cracker, with a great nose that travels the spectrum from high notes of lemon and blossom to bass notes of tropical fruit with some delicious apple in between. On the palate it shows great purity, line and length; it’s racy and classy and full of breed (and fruit!). All the elements are in place for it to be a stayer, but it’s so delicious now.