Best value Rieslings under £15

 The core aim of db’s Global Masters is to highlight what’s good, and above all, great value, which is no more true of the Drinks Business 2015 Global Riesling Masters.

The wines were judged by a group of MWs on 18 November 2015

As the competition’s medal-winning wines show, Riesling can make very good sparkling, great dry and off-fry whites and outstanding botrytised sweets, along with incredible icewines. It can be appealing when it’s cheap, thrilling when it’s expensive, and offer impressive value for money between £10 and £20. Unlike many of our other tastings by grape, one doesn’t always need to go above £30 to find the most exciting examples.

Regions that stand out as producers of particularly good examples of Riesling include Germany’s Mosel, Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz, not forgetting Australia’s Yarra, Clare and Eden Valleys, as well as the US’s Oregon and Washington States. No Rieslings from Austria or Alsace were entered into the tasting this year, which explains their failure to feature among the medallists in this year’s report.

Here we round up the wines that not only achieved a silver medal or higher in the Drinks Business 2015 Global Riesling Masters, but are priced at £15 or under, making them the competition’s best value medal-winning wines.

For a full round up on the competition and medal-winning wines, please click here. 

Larry Cherubino Wines, Cherubino Laissez Faire Riesling, Australia, 2014

Medal: Silver

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Dry Riesling (under 4g/l)

“Delicate on the nose but identifiably Riesling with notes of lime and a touch of elastic band. On the palate, intense lime, lemon and grass characters and a very dry finish. Dry and intense. Good for its price.”

Reh Kendermann GmbH Weinkellerei, Kendermanns Special Edition Riesling, Germany, 2014

Medal: Gold

Price category: Under £10

Style: Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Clean and quite firm nose with a touch of stone and citrus fruit. On the palate there is some grip with a long and intense finish, with notes of lemon dominating. Youthful. Good for the price.”

Reh Kendermann GmbH Weinkellerei, Kendermanns Classic Riesling, Germany, 2014

Medal: Silver

Price category: Under £10

Style: Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Slightly musky nose with notes of tangerine and overripe orange. Palate, though attractive, is slightly oily with a touch of sweetness. Full and round with firm acidity. Good for the price.”

Peter Mertes KG, Sommerau Mosel Riesling QbA Dry, Germany, 2014

Medal: Silver

Price category: Under £10

Style: Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Pure Riesling, aromatic, stony nuances with some development on the nose. Balanced and savoury on the mid palate with definition and length. Reminiscent of an English flower garden.”

Bird in Hand, Bird in Hand Riesling, Australia, 2015

Medal: Silver

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Notes of pear drops on the nose. Palate is similar with a touch of soap, sherbet and some sweetness.”

Ste Michelle Wine Estate, Dry Riesling, USA, 2014

Medal: Silver

Price category: £10-£15

Style:  Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Some toasty, burnt rubber character on the nose. Some roundness on the palate with a rubber note folded in. Some peach, ripe fruit and some freshness on the finish. Appealing and well-rounded wine with character.”

Das Ulrich Langguth Weingut, Riesling Spätlese Trocken Alte Reben, Germany, 2014

Medal: Silver

Price category: £10-£15

Style:  Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Very ripe nose with notes of peach melba. Lots of ripe peach and apricot on the palate. Sprit-zy and slightly sweet with a broad mid palate. Dry finish.”

Nederburg Wines, Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Riesling South Africa, 2015

Medal: Silver

Price category: £10-£15

Style:  Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Lovely Riesling nose with notes of apple and orange blossom. Medium dry and well defined with a stony mid palate. Lively and balanced with very nice length.”

Schloss Vollrads KG, Weingut Schloss Vollrads Riesling QBA Trocken, Germany, 2014

Medal: Silver

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Medium-dry Riesling (4-12g/l)

“Pretty nose with notes of pure green apple, blossom, white peach and lemon. On the palate, delicate and fruity in style. Chalky nuances with a savoury finish. Seductive.”

Framingham Wines, Marlborough Classic Riesling, New Zealand, 2014

Medal: Silver

Sugar level: 17

Price category: Under £10

Style: Medium-sweet Riesling (12-45g/l)

“Quite closed on the nose but with touches of orange and blossom. Palate much more open with some sweetness, touch of citrus and a lot of orange. Floral, no rubber and youthful. Great value, long finish and well balanced.”

Flat Rock, Nadja’s Vineyards Riesling, Canada, 2014

Medal: Silver

Sugar level: 24

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Medium-sweet Riesling (12-45g/l)

“Sulphurous and smoky on the nose but quite appealing, though masking fruit. Quite a lot of sweetness and lemon sherbet character on the palate. Long and fresh.”

Clark Estate, Marlborough Block 8 Riesling, New Zealand, 2015

Medal: Silver

Sugar level: 43

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Medium-sweet Riesling (12-45g/l)

“Quite delicate on the nose with notes of pure peach fruit. Lots of sugar-coated peach fruit on the palate and some nice lemon freshness on finish. A bright wine.”

Seifried Estate, Seifried Nelson Riesling, New Zealand, 2014

Medal: Silver

Sugar level: 18

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Medium-sweet Riesling (12-45g/l)

“Lovely varietal definition. Orange and lemon zest on the nose with petrol notes. On the palate, ripe peach, apricot and melon. Very crisp and superb balance. Savoury, spicy finish.”

JWG Johannisberger Weinvertrieb KG, Mittelhölle Riesling Spätlese, Germany, 2013

Medal: Silver

Sugar: 88.7

Price category: £10-£15

Style: Sweet Riesling (over 45g/l)

“Orange marmalade, acacia honey and fresh fruit salad on the nose. On the palate, ripe melon with good sugar acidity balance, fair weight and length. Attractive citrus fruits.”