By F&B’s Esmond Kwan
To continue with the success of the other categories in the Halliday Companion, of the 8000 wines tasted, you might be surprised to know that riesling has been dubbed Australia’s best-value grape.
While Clare Valley did lead the charge when it came to regional standouts, Tasmania followed closely behind with its renowned cool climate. The 2018 Bellwether ‘Ant Series’ Riesling is currently listed on our wine list, a super dry riesling grown at the beautiful Bundaleera vineyard in Relbia, northern Tasmania (lower Tamar Valley). It is hand-picked and the whole bunch pressed, and the pristine juice is then transported back to Coonawarra for ferment, where you will find the winery is located at the historic 1868 Glen Roy Shearing Shed, hence the name Bellwether – the sheep that leads the flock, probably to the winery!
This matured riesling is a thing of beauty; complex, intense yet delicate, balanced, and amazingly long. The winemaker, Sue Bell is also a gardener, baker, music lover, and all-around general bon vivant. She had discovered ant paintings in a local gallery and decided these paintings would be a perfect match for her stunning range of wines as they represent ideas about the land & environment that produces the fruit and also references the effect of weather patterns & climate change.
Bellwether – ready to drink now until 2028, purity of the highest order. Amazing acidity in harmony with the fruit, a stylish and scintillating riesling. We invite you to come to enjoy this at the Club, and you will feel like you are sleeping under the stars, immersed in nature at a small winery making wine in an old shearing shed.
To reserve a table at Members’ Bar and Dining, Please contact the team at dine@tattersallsclub.org.
