Main Divide Riesling 2024
Case Buys Only | 6 x 750ml
Main Divide Riesling is a bright, medium-dry North Canterbury Riesling that brings orange blossom, jasmine, lime peel, spiced apple and a touch of honey into one lively package. Attractive sweetness is neatly checked by fresh acidity and a gentle natural spritz, giving the wine plenty of energy without losing its generous fruit. Made by the Donaldson family, the team behind Pegasus Bay, it offers a polished introduction to Waipara Riesling at a very approachable price. The long citrus finish keeps every sip tidy and refreshing. Chill it for spicy Thai dishes, lemon chicken, smoked eel or a sunny late-afternoon glass.
What the winery says:
The 2024 season produced smaller yields but concentrated fruit after a cool, windy spring gave way to a warm, settled summer and favourable autumn. Grapes were picked in stages from the second half of March into early April, with some parcels left longer to develop a portion of noble botrytis. Free-run juice was slowly fermented at cool temperatures, with fermentation stopped once acidity, alcohol and residual sweetness reached the desired balance. Minimal handling preserved naturally dissolved carbon dioxide, creating a light spritz. The finished wine shows orange blossom, jasmine, lime peel, spiced apple, white-fleshed peach and honey, with attractive sweetness, integrated acidity and a long citrus finish.
What the experts say:
Cameron Douglas MS, 93/100 Excellent (2024 Vintage)
“A delightful, tasty and luscious wine with flavours of orange blossom, mandarin and lime-flower, honeysuckle and apple.”
Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews, 93/100 (2024 Vintage)
“Medium-bodied, medium-dry to taste, aromas of golden apple, quince and mandarin, melded with honey, blossom and stony minerals.”
Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review, 90/100 and Top Value (2024 Vintage)
“This is always a reliable value and the seductive 2024 is one of the finest I’ve seen yet.”
Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, 93/100 (2024 Vintage)
"...a succulent palate that offers generous texture and appealing sweetness. It's splendidly structured by juicy acidity, making it refreshing and fabulously drinkable."
