96/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot 95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot 95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 94/100 James Suckling 94/100 Gary Walsh, Wine Front 94/100 Regan Drew, Wine Pilot 92/100 Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot 92/100 Andrew Graham, Wine Pilot 91/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review 96/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage) 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit (2020 vintage) 95/100 James Suckling, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage) 94/100 James Halliday (2019 vintage) 96/100 James Halliday (2017 vintage) 95/100 Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage) 91/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage) 90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage) 93/100 The Wine Front (2016 vintage) 92/100 Jeremy Oliver (2016 vintage) 92/100 Wine Spectator (2016 vintage) 91/100 Vinous Antonio Galloni (2016 vintage)
Silver - Australian Wine Companion
James Halliday 5 Star Winery James Suckling Top 100 Top Value Wine 2020 James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017
Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot "It seems that the Eden Valley has enjoyed just as an impressive a vintage in 2021 as many parts of South Australia. This is such an impressive young Riesling. A glorious nose weaving around florals, minerals, bath soaps, river stones, citrus (both limes and grapefruits), and finishing with the alluring note of those wonderful old Iced VoVo biscuits. This really is appealing. An exquisite Eden Valley Riesling, exhibiting elegance, intensity, excellent length and very fine balance. Terrific now but there is a decade or more ahead of this star effort."
Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot " Most are saying this as good a vintage as they can remember in Eden Valley. Who am I to doubt it. If this wine is any indication, then they are absolutely right. Made only from pure free run juice. Crunchy spicy lightly bath salts with a zingy lemon zip on the finish. Nice fine minerally thread to a long finish."
James Suckling "Offers fresh lemon, apple and pear, as well as sweetly fragrant spice. Pure and sleek palate with crisp apple, pear and lemon building into the long finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap."
Regan Drew, Wine Pilot "The cooler climes of the higher altitude Eden Valley slopes lend themselves perfectly to excellent expressions of riesling. Hewitson have a mantra of minimum additions of preservatives only at bottling to ensure purity. Vegan friendly too, if that’s important to you. Pale lemon and pure looking in the glass. The aromas of lime granita, lemon rind, flinty gun metal, ground talc, a suggestion of stone fruit and the lightest spritz of rosewater make for a comforting reassurance that the world is better with a glass of riesling in your hand. The tight and dry palate holds its vibrant acidity through the long finish, neatly balanced with a dusting of chalky grip and lingering citrus tones. A perfect foil for any sort of dumplings your heart (and stomach) desires!"
Angus Hughson "It seems that the Eden Valley has enjoyed just as an impressive a vintage in 2021 as many parts of South Australia. This is such an impressive young Riesling. A glorious nose weaving around florals, minerals, bath soaps, river stones, citrus (both limes and grapefruits), and finishing with the alluring note of those wonderful old Iced VoVo biscuits. This really is appealing. An exquisite Eden Valley Riesling, exhibiting elegance, intensity, excellent length and very fine balance. Terrific now but there is a decade or more ahead of this star effort."
Andrew Graham, Wine Pilot "Water clear and ultra fresh, this taut and tight Eden Valley is just a baby. It’s like bathing in a grapefruit waterfall, on a lean but not mean palate. It’s wound up a bit tight for drinking now, but the future will be very kind."
Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Pale in the glass, green hues. Aromas of lemon pith, green melon, talc and white flowers. The palate is fine and linear, but has a generosity of flavour, with stone fruit, citrus and feijoa. The acidity frames the wine nicely; it gives firmness and cut and a touch of phenolic grip brings it all home."
James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion "This wastes no time in imparting its message of Rose's lime juice and a squeeze of Meyer lemon and of grapefruit. The acidity is there of course, but it's essentially gentle. All of which makes this ready now." (2020 vintage)
Tyson Stelzer "True to its name, this riesling is built around a steely, high tensile backbone and chalky mineral structure. It’s a taut and pristine style of pretty lemon blossom perfume, granny smith apple and lime zest fruit, carrying with impressive persistence and tightly coiled focus." (2019 vintage)
James Halliday "Low yields across the Clare and Eden Valleys occasioned by the relentlessly dry growing season have come good with very concentrated flavours. (2019 vintage)
Qantas Magazine "Aromas of lime, petals, minerals and talc. The palate showcases citrus, mineral and powder dry finish." (2019 vintage)
The Winemaker "The palate is delicate, refined and intense, with a firm, dry finish and lingering aftertaste. Citrus, mineral and powder-dry finish." (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Light and crisp, with pear and lime flavors that are appealing and straightforward. Drink now." (2017 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "This is a steely, flinty Riesling....fruit: lemons, apples and orange peel, on the nose. But the palate is all about the flinty minerality."
Wine Spectator "Finds a balance between elegance and power, with a light and lively body. Offers intense notes of peach blossom, lime zest and honeysuckle. Vibrant and juicy on the finish, where a hint of fresh ginger chimes in. (2016 vintage)
Frederick Wildman "Eden Valley is recognised as one of the world’s great Riesling regions. This single-vineyard is recognised as one of the best Eden Valley vineyards. The specific topography and mineral profile provide ideal conditions for Riesling. Gun Metal describes the grey-coloured stone amongst the vineyard while symbolizing the steely minerality of the wine. Lime minerals and powder. Citrus, especially lime predominates the flavour profile while carrying the trademark minerality that Gun Metal is renowned for."
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single-site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion."
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
The Barossa Valley is an extremely important wine-producing region within the Barossa in South Australia, particularly associated with powerful red wines from the red wine grape variety Shiraz. A prestigious and internationally renowned region, it is not only home to some of the oldest vineyards and wineries in Australia but produces some of its most recognizable and sought-after brands. A striking feature of the Barossa Valley's wine landscape is the presence of very old vines, proudly showcased on many wine labels and during vineyard tours.
Eden Valley is located in the Barossa and is recognised as one of the world’s great Riesling regions, and one of Australia’s premier cool climate wine regions. Eden Valley wines are distinctive in their character, displaying wonderful aromatics, elegance, complexity and finesse.
With a wine making history dating back to 1847, Eden Valley is home to some of the world’s oldest Shiraz and Riesling vineyards. Traditional grape growing continues with a focus on sustainability, with fifth and sixth generations of the original settlers continuing to operate their family wineries.
Riesling is a light-skinned, aromatic grape of German origin which is – if the majority of top wine critics are to be believed – the world's finest white wine grape variety. The Riesling vine holds a very different place in the wine world to such great grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Chardonnay. While these immensely popular varieties have conquered every corner of the winegrowing world, Riesling is conspicuously absent from the core wine regions of France, Spain and Italy. Riesling's home is the regions that trace the middle Rhine and the lower Mosel, two of Europe's great wine rivers.
96/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot 95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot 95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 94/100 James Suckling 94/100 Gary Walsh, Wine Front 94/100 Regan Drew, Wine Pilot 92/100 Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot 92/100 Andrew Graham, Wine Pilot 91/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review 96/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage) 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit (2020 vintage) 95/100 James Suckling, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage) 94/100 James Halliday (2019 vintage) 96/100 James Halliday (2017 vintage) 95/100 Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage) 91/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage) 90/100 Wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage) 93/100 The Wine Front (2016 vintage) 92/100 Jeremy Oliver (2016 vintage) 92/100 Wine Spectator (2016 vintage) 91/100 Vinous Antonio Galloni (2016 vintage)
Silver - Australian Wine Companion
James Halliday 5 Star Winery James Suckling Top 100 Top Value Wine 2020 James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017
Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot "It seems that the Eden Valley has enjoyed just as an impressive a vintage in 2021 as many parts of South Australia. This is such an impressive young Riesling. A glorious nose weaving around florals, minerals, bath soaps, river stones, citrus (both limes and grapefruits), and finishing with the alluring note of those wonderful old Iced VoVo biscuits. This really is appealing. An exquisite Eden Valley Riesling, exhibiting elegance, intensity, excellent length and very fine balance. Terrific now but there is a decade or more ahead of this star effort."
Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot " Most are saying this as good a vintage as they can remember in Eden Valley. Who am I to doubt it. If this wine is any indication, then they are absolutely right. Made only from pure free run juice. Crunchy spicy lightly bath salts with a zingy lemon zip on the finish. Nice fine minerally thread to a long finish."
James Suckling "Offers fresh lemon, apple and pear, as well as sweetly fragrant spice. Pure and sleek palate with crisp apple, pear and lemon building into the long finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap."
Regan Drew, Wine Pilot "The cooler climes of the higher altitude Eden Valley slopes lend themselves perfectly to excellent expressions of riesling. Hewitson have a mantra of minimum additions of preservatives only at bottling to ensure purity. Vegan friendly too, if that’s important to you. Pale lemon and pure looking in the glass. The aromas of lime granita, lemon rind, flinty gun metal, ground talc, a suggestion of stone fruit and the lightest spritz of rosewater make for a comforting reassurance that the world is better with a glass of riesling in your hand. The tight and dry palate holds its vibrant acidity through the long finish, neatly balanced with a dusting of chalky grip and lingering citrus tones. A perfect foil for any sort of dumplings your heart (and stomach) desires!"
Angus Hughson "It seems that the Eden Valley has enjoyed just as an impressive a vintage in 2021 as many parts of South Australia. This is such an impressive young Riesling. A glorious nose weaving around florals, minerals, bath soaps, river stones, citrus (both limes and grapefruits), and finishing with the alluring note of those wonderful old Iced VoVo biscuits. This really is appealing. An exquisite Eden Valley Riesling, exhibiting elegance, intensity, excellent length and very fine balance. Terrific now but there is a decade or more ahead of this star effort."
Andrew Graham, Wine Pilot "Water clear and ultra fresh, this taut and tight Eden Valley is just a baby. It’s like bathing in a grapefruit waterfall, on a lean but not mean palate. It’s wound up a bit tight for drinking now, but the future will be very kind."
Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Pale in the glass, green hues. Aromas of lemon pith, green melon, talc and white flowers. The palate is fine and linear, but has a generosity of flavour, with stone fruit, citrus and feijoa. The acidity frames the wine nicely; it gives firmness and cut and a touch of phenolic grip brings it all home."
James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion "This wastes no time in imparting its message of Rose's lime juice and a squeeze of Meyer lemon and of grapefruit. The acidity is there of course, but it's essentially gentle. All of which makes this ready now." (2020 vintage)
Tyson Stelzer "True to its name, this riesling is built around a steely, high tensile backbone and chalky mineral structure. It’s a taut and pristine style of pretty lemon blossom perfume, granny smith apple and lime zest fruit, carrying with impressive persistence and tightly coiled focus." (2019 vintage)
James Halliday "Low yields across the Clare and Eden Valleys occasioned by the relentlessly dry growing season have come good with very concentrated flavours. (2019 vintage)
Qantas Magazine "Aromas of lime, petals, minerals and talc. The palate showcases citrus, mineral and powder dry finish." (2019 vintage)
The Winemaker "The palate is delicate, refined and intense, with a firm, dry finish and lingering aftertaste. Citrus, mineral and powder-dry finish." (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Light and crisp, with pear and lime flavors that are appealing and straightforward. Drink now." (2017 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "This is a steely, flinty Riesling....fruit: lemons, apples and orange peel, on the nose. But the palate is all about the flinty minerality."
Wine Spectator "Finds a balance between elegance and power, with a light and lively body. Offers intense notes of peach blossom, lime zest and honeysuckle. Vibrant and juicy on the finish, where a hint of fresh ginger chimes in. (2016 vintage)
Frederick Wildman "Eden Valley is recognised as one of the world’s great Riesling regions. This single-vineyard is recognised as one of the best Eden Valley vineyards. The specific topography and mineral profile provide ideal conditions for Riesling. Gun Metal describes the grey-coloured stone amongst the vineyard while symbolizing the steely minerality of the wine. Lime minerals and powder. Citrus, especially lime predominates the flavour profile while carrying the trademark minerality that Gun Metal is renowned for."
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single-site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion."
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
The Barossa Valley is an extremely important wine-producing region within the Barossa in South Australia, particularly associated with powerful red wines from the red wine grape variety Shiraz. A prestigious and internationally renowned region, it is not only home to some of the oldest vineyards and wineries in Australia but produces some of its most recognizable and sought-after brands. A striking feature of the Barossa Valley's wine landscape is the presence of very old vines, proudly showcased on many wine labels and during vineyard tours.
Eden Valley is located in the Barossa and is recognised as one of the world’s great Riesling regions, and one of Australia’s premier cool climate wine regions. Eden Valley wines are distinctive in their character, displaying wonderful aromatics, elegance, complexity and finesse.
With a wine making history dating back to 1847, Eden Valley is home to some of the world’s oldest Shiraz and Riesling vineyards. Traditional grape growing continues with a focus on sustainability, with fifth and sixth generations of the original settlers continuing to operate their family wineries.
Riesling is a light-skinned, aromatic grape of German origin which is – if the majority of top wine critics are to be believed – the world's finest white wine grape variety. The Riesling vine holds a very different place in the wine world to such great grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Chardonnay. While these immensely popular varieties have conquered every corner of the winegrowing world, Riesling is conspicuously absent from the core wine regions of France, Spain and Italy. Riesling's home is the regions that trace the middle Rhine and the lower Mosel, two of Europe's great wine rivers.
