O'Leary Walker

In 2010 I took my first exam in wines and spirits that had a tasting element. I had read the text books, several times, and made details notes. It was a big step up from level two to level three, but I had put in the work. The thing that bothered me was the tasting exam. Did I have enough experience to correctly describe the sample that would be presented to me? The exam didn't require the candidate to identify the wine by name, but to describe it accurately according to the standard approach to tasting. I think I was lucky. It could have been anything from the syllabus but the examiner had, I think, been kind. One taste, a deep sense of relief; 'Clare Valley Riesling!' Woohoo! It had a big hit of lime flavour and the unmistakable background of Riesling. If you want a wine that shouts its identity then you could scarcely do better than a Riesling from the Clare Valley in South Australia. So this week we have:

Week W (2021) O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling, 2019. £12.99 Waitrose.

This is pretty much exactly as expected, although my two tasting companions had very differing views. One didn't like it at all, having previously declared a dislike for Riesling, and the other described it as 'delicious' but disagreed with my assertion that the dominant flavour was of lime.

Being a gentleman I didn't argue the point, but my own opinion was that it most definitely tasted strongly of that particular citrus fruit. In fact, to be critical, I don't think it tasted of much else and that is a little disappointing. Unlike the first of my co-tasters, who was very pleased with her glass of Pinot Grigio (see Week I (2021)), I do like Riesling and had hoped for a little more of the defining flavours from the grape than appeared in the glass. On the nose, as wine bores and horsey people often say but for different reasons, there were signs of Riesling but they were not detectable to my probably tired and ageing palate.

Having said that, it wasn't bland and had bags of flavour. It's just the bags were all full of lime. It makes a welcome change from all of those white wines that can best be described as tasting like white wine, but it isn't something I will buy very often as I quite like a slightly more restrained and less acidic fruit in my salad.