Considering Wolf Blass’ past success with Rieslings, and given their reputation in general, we were surprised at how this one turned out. Plain and simple - it was disgusting.

Our initial impression was not a good one at all, although we both remarked that there was something oddly familiar on the nose.  I think I came up with “my shoes!”, Erin narrowed it to “rubber!”, and we ended at car tires and petrol.

Consider the sort of smells you’re treated to when you leave water in a bicycle water bottle sitting in summer heat.  Thick, plastic, and rank.  This was followed by a hint of lemon and some herbaceousness. There were a lot of underlying smells that we couldn’t quite tease apart due to the overwhelming rubber/petrol odour. With airing, the pungency mellowed just enough for Erin to remark that it wasn’t all that bad, but not enough for me to stop screwing my face up (and I was trying really hard not to).

The ‘fun’ didn’t stop on the nose, as the bouquet translated nicely into a petrol oil slick taste followed by a long lemony finish with bracing acidity.

In general, a bold wine but a poorly done German-style Riesling for my tastes, lacking refinement and balance.

My Rating: Not Even On Pain Of Death

Erin’s Rating: I Wouldn’t Make Faces