The 2013 Sigurd Barossa Riesling Gewurztraminer comes with a
handwritten-style white muted-texturde paper wraparound label with Sigurd in
sunshine yellow. Sigurd seems only to have a Facebook page at the moment. But
the young winemaker of Jilly Wines, Jared Dixon, with a home-base at Clunes
Cellars on the far north coast of NSW, tells me this is another young
winemaking friend of his making his wine in the South Australia's Barossa,
Williamstown specifically. This Sigurd white is bottled with cork and wax as are
Jilly wines. If you're thinking Riesling and Gewurzt are an intriguing
combination, especially given wild ferment, you'd be right with this wine. Its
perfume is that of Scheherazade's storying telling in 10001 Nights, as it smells of honey mead, with lavender, cinnamon
and more sweet spice. In colour it is more golden than Australian Riesling on
its own is, and, with its non-filtered status, has a cloudy body in this
instance. The palate is noticeable – intriguing, unforgettable. Combining jube,
lemon, almond paste and aniseed, it is just luscious enough but restrained for credulity – to keep you coming
back for more.
