MR MICK A RIESLING WITH PEDIGREE

REMINISCENCES of Mick Knappstein's famous
Bin 5 Riesling – and ideally suited to seafoods.

Wc06Jan14

David Ellis

BACK in the 1980s a South Australia Clare Valley Riesling made by the legendary late Mick Knappstein under a Bin 5 label for the Stanley Wine Company, was selling a more-than credible 50,000 cases a year – just so good was it.

And today we're confident enough to say that a successor to Bin 5 made by Tim Adams who worked under Mick in the 1970s, could well be heading for the same success: Tim, who with wife Pam Goldsack subsequently bought many of the assets of the Stanley Wine Company, has even named it Mr Mick Riesling, with the 2013 his third vintage. "Mick saw Bin 5 as 'the people's white'," Tim says. "It was soft, generously flavoured, carried just a touch of sweetness and was almost dangerously approachable."

Tim says he feels confident Mick Knappstein would have been pleased with the Mr Mick Riesling that now carries his name, the 2013 a mouth-filling drop with predominantly citrus flavours – lemon curd, lime and orange blossom – and ideally suited to seafoods. Or, at $15, simply a good drop to have in the fridge during our hotter summer months.

TOUCH of sweetness makes this a perfect
match with spicy Thai hot-and-sour tom yum soup.

ONE TO NOTE: TIM Adams also has another very approachable drop for summer-time enjoyment in his self-named Tim Adams label 2013 Pinot Gris – his tenth release of this variety, that just gets better and better with every vintage.

Tim 'fesses-up that it's been "quite a steep learning curve" finding just the right balance of fruit, acid and sweetness – especially the latter – for his Pinot Gris, while at the same time confident he's not made a better drop than the just-released 2013.

"A touch of sweetness on the front palate is essential to our Pinot Gris style, and we (he and wife Pam Goldsack) think we've got it nicely balanced in this wine that has predominantly pear flavours with touches of lychees and white peaches as well."  Pay $23, and with that slight sweetness and quite full palate, you'll find it a nice match with spicy Thai dishes such as hot-and-sour tom yum soup.

NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com We're also on Australian Good Food Guide http://www.agfg.com.au  in main blog.