Riversdale riesling; best Tasmanian wine

This is Tasmania’s best white wine

August 18, 2019
By Alana House

Riversdale Estate Winery in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley has won an impressive eight trophies including Best Tasmanian Wine at the Royal Hobart Wine Show.

Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012 took out four trophies all up – in addition to Best Tasmanian Wine it also won Best Tasmanian White Wine, Best Riesling and Best Individual Vineyard Wine.

“The unique terroir of our vineyard allows us to take advantages of the long, slow ripening and retention of natural acidity, which is why we excel in growing cool climate wines like Riesling,” said Rainier Roberts, vigneron at Riversdale Estate.

“We only make our Cygnus Riesling in exceptional vintage years, and 2012 certainly was one.”

The Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012 is available through the cellar door and from wine retailer Cellarmasters.

Although riesling has long suffered a bad reputation for being overly sweet, Australian Rieslings are starting to become world-famous for their steely and flinty notes and laser-like acidity.

“Wine lovers today have a better understanding of Riesling, and they know that Australian Riesling is dry and of high quality and has excellent ageing capability – as the Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling proves,” said Joe Armstrong, Head of Wine at Cellarmasters.

“Riversdale Estate is one of Cellarmasters’ most awarded Australian range of wines and is certainly a customer favourite. The range always displays lovely freshness and bright fruit character with depth and persistence.”

The estate also won a Trophy for Best Sweet Dessert Wine for its Riversdale Estate Botrytis Riesling 2014, and a Trophy for Best Shiraz for the Riversdale Estate Syrah 2017.

Riversdale riesling

Riversdale Estate is a family-run business, with husband and wife Ian and Wendy Roberts heading up the cellar door and restaurant, while son Rainier is the vigneron.

“I bought Riversdale when I was in university in 1980, and the property first started growing vines in 1991”, said Ian Roberts.

“Back then, we only grew grapes for other brands, and when we saw our excellent quality grapes winning medals for wines made by our grape buyers with us not being recognised, we launched our Riversdale Estate label in 2008 exclusively through Cellarmasters and immediately began enjoying success with our wines,” he added.

There were 1337 entries in the Royal Hobart Wine Show this year. Here’s the full list of Trophy winners:

Best Pinot Noir – Handpicked Wines Collection Tasmania Pinot Noir

Best Cabernet Sauvignon – Deep Woods Estate Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Best Shiraz – Riversdale Estate – Class 23 Cat. No. 33 – Riversdale Estate Syrah 2017

Best Blended Red – Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Malbec 2017

Best Varietal Red Wine – Kirrihill Wines Mount Lofty Ranges Montepulciano 2018

Best Chardonnay – Deep Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2018

Best Riesling – Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012

Best Sauvignon Blanc – Robert Oatley Vineyards Wildflower Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Best Varietal White – Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2009

Best Sweet Dessert Wine – Riversdale Estate Botrytis Riesling 2014

Best Individual Vineyard Wine – Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012

Best Sparkling Wine – Arras Brut Elite Cuvee 1401 NV

Best Fortified – Saltram Mr Pickwick Rare Tawny NV

Best Rose – Bird in Hand Pinot Nero Rose 2019

Best Provenance – Dawson James Chardonnay

Best Red Wine in Show – Handpicked Wines Collection Tasmania Pinot Noir 2018

Best White Wine in Show – Deep Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay

Most Successful Exhibitor – Riversdale Estate

Best Tasmanian White Wine – Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012

Best Tasmanian Red Wine – Handpicked Wines Collection Tasmania Pinot Noir 2018

Best Tasmanian Sparkling Wine – Arras Brut Elite Cuvee 1401 NV

Best Tasmanian Wine – Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012

Most Successful Tasmanian Exhibitor – Riversdale Estate Cygnus Riesling 2012

Best Wine in Show – Deep Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay

Tasmanian Award – Roderick Cuthbert

Share the content