Block 1 Riesling is a white produced by Felton Road in Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand. Made from Riesling. Cellarion's sommeliers have reviewed the drink window of 3 vintages; members see when each one is ready. Track this wine and manage your cellar with Cellarion — the free, open-source wine app at cellarion.app.
Type: White
Appellation: Bannockburn
Region: Central Otago
Country: New Zealand
Grapes: Riesling
Tasting profile
Structure: light-bodied, low tannin, high acidity, sweet
A north-facing section of the Elms Vineyard on heavy silt soils, and one of the reference points for Riesling in the southern hemisphere. Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, the juice settled overnight and fermented for three weeks on indigenous yeasts, with fermentation arrested by chilling and the wine rested on fine lees before an early bottling to protect the aromatics. The result is around 9% alcohol and roughly 65 g/L of residual sugar — genuinely medium sweet, though it rarely tastes it. Blair Walter likes to pour it blind and ask guests to guess the sugar; the usual answer is a quarter of the truth, because the low pH and knife-edged acidity conceal it completely. Lime and lemon blossom over apricot and white peach, deeply chalky and mineral, with sweetness and acidity locked in a tussle neither wins. Serve properly cold, and do not assume it needs dessert — it is superb with spice and with rich pâté.
When to drink
Cellarion's sommeliers have reviewed the drink window of 3 vintages of Block 1 Riesling. Sign up free to see when each one is ready.
Where it comes from
Central Otago, New Zealand
Central Otago lies in the mountainous interior of New Zealand's South Island and is one of the world's southernmost wine regions, best known for its Pinot Noir.
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape from Germany's Rhine region, widely regarded as one of the noblest white varieties for its purity, transparency and ability to express place with startling precision.
More wines
From Felton Road
- Bannockburn Chardonnay — Felton Road, Bannockburn
- Bannockburn Pinot Noir — Felton Road, Bannockburn
- Bannockburn Riesling — Felton Road, Bannockburn
- Block 2 Chardonnay — Felton Road, Bannockburn
- Block 3 Pinot Noir — Felton Road, Bannockburn
- Block 5 Pinot Noir — Felton Road, Central Otago
More white wines from Central Otago
- Bannockburn Dry Riesling — Mt. Difficulty, Bannockburn
- Blackmans Gully Riesling — Omeo, Central Otago
- Dry Riesling — Amisfield, Central Otago
- Dry Riesling — Aurum, Central Otago
Frequently asked questions
Where is Block 1 Riesling from?
Block 1 Riesling is produced by Felton Road in Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand.
What grapes are in Block 1 Riesling?
Block 1 Riesling is made from Riesling.