Jacobs Creek Steingarten Riesling 2006

Jacobs Creek doesn't just make plonk, you know. This is supposed to be one of the best examples of new world Rieslings out there. I have a bottle, tucked away in my cellar (if you can call it that - it is technically a basement, but it's also our bedroom). It says on the label that it can last 20 years with "careful cellaring". I don't know if I will manage to keep it that long, but after tasting a friend's bottle, I think I'll try and keep it as long as I can.

How to describe it? Well, the general consensus was "faecal notes". I guess that's normal when talking about Pinot Noir and its various "barnyard" odours and all that, but a Riesling? I don't mind, as long as it doesn't taste like faecal notes. Also in there was kerosene (if you ask me it's not a good new world Riesling without this smell), and citrus. The palate was, well, mostly acid. That's not a bad thing, just means it's young. We didn't really have food with it either, and something this acidic needs food. The first (and only) thing that came to my mind was pork belly. I know what I'm having with my bottle....

Definitely a lot of character here. I'm a big fan of German Rieslings, and I think these New World ones will always be (unfairly) compared to them, but there is some potential here, but I think I'll have to wait a few years to see it. For that reason I'm going to reserve judgement (although if I knew what I was talking about I could probably give it score for potential...).

Jacobs Creek
Steingarten Riesling 2006
Barossa Valley, Australia
Sainsbury's
£13.99