Castle Rock Estate Porongurup Riesling 2023

Trophy for Wines of Provenance Best Red or White Varietal - 2023 Perth Royal Wine Awards
Top 25 Wines - 2023 WA Good Food Guide Wine Awards  

"Rob Diletti has a reputation for making great Riesling. He is a superstar."  Erin Larkin

Castle Rock Estate is an exceptionally beautifully sited vineyard on a 55ha property, set high in the Porongurup Ranges, operated by the Diletti family. The elevation, 300 metres, and the position of the vineyard, which exposes the vines to cooling south-east breezes, enable varieties like Riesling, which are heat sensitive and early to ripen, to develop maximum varietal flavour and ripeness while maintaining natural acidity and balance.

"Oh my. One sniff confirmed by the taste shows why this is regarded as one of the great vintages for riesling and why Rob Diletti is regarded as one of our great winemakers. Steely, spicy and lemony with a tense slaty edge. The palate is deeply intense, bursting with beautiful aromatic varietal riesling. That crunchy wet pebbly mouth feel is simply a joy."  Ray Jordan

"The Castle Rock Estate Riesling is our flagship wine that captures the pure fruit expression of our unique site along the Porongurup Range. It is a blend of the 6 Riesling blocks planted on our site, each with their own unique flavour profiles that contribute to the wines' overall layered complexity. The wine consists of 100% free run juice, creating elegance and finesse due to the minimal phenolic pick-up from the skins during pressing. It is fermented cool in stainless steel tanks with minimal winemaking influence to highlight the fruit definition and quality attained in the vineyard. A short maturation time before bottling ensures that the freshness of our Rieslings is captured in bottling for immediate enjoyment. This creates a Riesling with a clean acid structure, elegant palate and fresh flavours of citrus and florals. Fine and delicate as a young wine, yet will age gracefully for 20+ years."  Castle Rock Estate

"Rob Diletti's excellent palate and sensitive winemaking mark Castle Rock as one of the superstars of WA."  James Halliday 

Expert reviews 

"A scintillating expression of riesling that’s juicy, fresh, bright, intense and driving with a huge swish of tangy acidity. It feels linear and pure – a rapier thrust of the variety that delivers strong fruit and mineral character in a very complex and energetic style. Drink with gusto."  2023 WA Good Food Guide Wine Awards - Top 25 Wines

"A flagship wine for the brand which they have been making since 1986. So it’s no surprise they have absolutely NAILED it once again. It’s almost like what freshly bathed baby skin smells like, pure and immaculate. Apple blossoms, white nectarine and lychee. Greengage plums, lime pith and quartz. Slippery and nimble on the palate the wine is delicate but mighty in its long flavour length and grip. Gorgeous in its reflective tones and elegant style – drink now and will cellar upwards of 8 years. I’d love to see this served with burrata, tomatillos and smoked salt. Drink now and bask in the splendour of superb Porongurup, because it’s SO hot right now. Drink: 2023-2031."  Shanteh Wale, Wine Pilot – 97 points

"The product of a cool, late vintage – just what the doctor ordered. It's already filling the bouquet with heady flourishes of limes that move into top gear on a long, layered magic carpet of citrus, all sorts. The back label says 'Since its inception in 1986 this wine has been the flagship of our rieslings.' Drink by 2038."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 97 points and Special Value Wine  ★ 

"Oh my. One sniff confirmed by the taste shows why this is regarded as one of the great vintages for riesling and why Rob Diletti is regarded as one of our great winemakers. Steely, spicy and lemony with a tense slaty edge. The palate is deeply intense, bursting with beautiful aromatic varietal riesling. That crunchy wet pebbly mouth feel is simply a joy."  Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com.au – 97 points

"I love this wine. Every year it is a star performer, defined by its restraint and finesse. It delivers grace and levity, focus and poise, all wrapped in a talc-y, floral package. Pretty good if you ask me. So, this 2023 Porongurup Riesling is a child of the mild and even 2023 season, and the wine is a superstar. It's really packed on all sides with flavor and fine texture. This is an exciting wine that is outrageously good value for money, and it will age beautifully. A well-kept secret in Western Australia, it sells for $32 AUD. 12% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023-2038."  Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate - 96 points

"The epitome of Porongurup Riesling. Chalky florals, crushed stone minerality, nashi pear skin, a lick of bath salts, delicate spice, dried ginger, subtle flint, citrus blossom, lemongrass, citrus zest, lime pith and pip. The fine, succulent palate is pure and glass-like, gripping in all the right places, with mouthwatering acidity taking its place as a support role behind the fruit and the textural cues. An impressive, measured and elegant Riesling, and while it is deliciously fresh and floral now in its youth, it has a long life ahead for those who can wait. All class."  Decanter – 96 points

Jeremy Oliver - 95 points

"Lifted bouquet of lemon and lime blossom. Bright and lively with tingly acidity driving the palate. Long, and linear with zesty lime and wet stone to the finish. Now-2033."  Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal - 95 points

"This is great! The focus, the tension, it’s a very tidy Riesling from Castle Rock Estate. And the tension is what I keep coming back to. Tightly coiled, expressive limes and lemongrass have a fabulous presence. A captivating sizzling minerally drive is moreish urging for another sip leaving a long trail in its wake. The well-handled acidity is cleansing and adds some more energy to a vibrant wine. Love it!"  Steve Leszczynski, Qwine - 94 points

"Another day, another post with Andrew banging on about young, Australian dry Riesling. Don’t like Riesling? Tune out now. Otherwise, just buy some of this Castle Rock Estate Riesling 2023. A familiar nose and a familiar crunch. Grapefruit, lime leaf, a little celery, then a wonderfully tangy grapefruit lime palate. Excellent palate drive and freshness – it goes on and on, with the slightly sour palate all about grapefruit briskness. How can you fault this? A strong vintage for Castle Rock Riesling, no doubt. Would I buy it? Absolutely."  Andrew Graham, Australian Wine Review – 94 points

Awards

Top 25 Wines - 2023 WA Good Food Guide Wine Awards  
Trophy for Wines of Provenance Best Red or White Varietal - 2023 Perth Royal Wine Awards
Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★ 

Porongurup

The Great Southern wine region of Western Australia is the most ancient, most isolated and largest wine region in the world. The region is up to 2.8 billion years old and covers over 1.7 million hectares, a whopping 200 kilometres from east to west and 100km from north to south. Since the Nyittiny – creation times – our First Nations people of the Wagyl Kaip region have shared and cared for this Great Southern country.

Great Southern time is a place of dramatic contrasts - striking tall timber forests, swathes of rich agricultural land, imposing mountain ranges, dramatic peaks and ancient rivers. Due to its vast size and spread, it features not only different terroirs but climates that vary from the Mediterranean through to the maritime, resulting in unique wines that reflect their natural surroundings. From this diversity a wine region of international significance and reputation has emerged – the pristine Great Southern wine region.

The region is divided into five distinct sub-regions, each producing wine styles that reflect their unique terroir. The sub-regions are Porongurup, Frankland River, Mount Barker, Denmark and Albany - refer to the map below.

Porongurup sub-region

Porongurup is a very small wine district just east of Mount Barker and 40km north of Albany. It is named after the oldest mountain range in the world, the Porongurups, a group of domed granite peaks whose formation dates back many millions of years to the Precambrian age. 

The sub-region encompasses the entire 12km long Porongurup Range, whose peaks reach a height of 670 meters at the Devil's Slide and are visible from any vineyard in the region. Today around 10 vineyards bask on the sunny northern slopes of these ancient hills.

Porongurup's climate is mostly Mediterranean with cool to mild winters and sunny and warm summers. With a mean January temperature of just 19 degrees Celsius, it has an extended ripening season, with grapes harvested in mid-March through to May. The regular sea breeze which blows inland on hot summer afternoons also contributes to the extended growing season.

Due to its aspect and height above sea level, the sub-region boasts a special climatic feature, a nocturnal thermal zone created by warm air rising above the denser cold air sliding down the hillsides and settling on the valley floor. The conditions produced from this air drainage are ideal for ripening and reduce the risk of frost. 

Wine grape production in the Porongurup began in 1978 with plantings of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by more plantings in 1979 and 1983. Today there are also plantings of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz, as the Porongurup’s reputation as a producer of distinctive cool climate wines continues to grow. 

Porongurup can produce standout Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Shiraz, but it is Riesling that is undoubtedly the star of the show, the conditions being ideal for producing riesling of exquisite precision and drive.
 

Porongurup is one of the five sub-regions of Great Southern

The winemaker

Rob Diletti is the winemaking son of Castle Rock Estate founders Angelo and Wendy Diletti. During his formative years Rob worked in the family's vineyard, developing a keen interest in grape-growing. After graduating from Charles Sturt University with a Wine Science degree, Rob gained winemaking experience at Mountadam Wines, Grosset Wines, Plantagenet Wines, Jean Grenier in Alsace, and Alkoomi Wines prior to returning home to Castle Rock Estate.

In 2001 he co-designed the Castle Rock Estate winery, a 200-tonne winery set within the family's vineyards. Soon after taking over the winemaking, Rob was recognised for the quality of the wines he made. These accolades include the Tony Smith Scholarship, Young Achiever of the Year (Wine Industry Association of Western Australia), Young Winemaker of the Year (Wine Selectors) and was named the inaugural Winemaker of the Year in James Halliday's Wine Companion in 2015.

"Rob Diletti has a reputation for making great Riesling. He is a superstar."  Erin Larkin

"Rob Diletti is highly intelligent and modest. He was the recipient of the inaugural Winemaker of the Year Award in my 2015 Wine Companion. His superb palate and sensitive winemaking mark Castle Rock as one of the superstars of WA. The countless trophies and gold medals leave no doubt about Diletti's skills."  James Halliday

The winery

Castle Rock Estate is an exceptionally beautifully sited vineyard on a 55ha property, set high in the Porongurup Ranges, operated by the Diletti family. The elevation, 300 metres, and the position of the vineyard, which exposes the vines to cooling south-east breezes, enable varieties like Riesling and Pinot Noir (which are heat sensitive and early to ripen) to develop maximum varietal flavour and ripeness while maintaining natural acidity and balance.

Angelo and Wendy Diletti purchased the property in 1981 to grow premium quality table-wine grapes. The first varieties, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, were planted in 1983. Those first two hectares were followed in 1986 with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and further plantings of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Later plantings included more Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay, plus Sauvignon Blanc, Gerwurztraminer and the first and only plantings (so far) of Grüner Veltliner in the Porongurup wine region.

"The easterly aspect, in my opinion, has turned out to be what makes our site so unique. We get the early morning sun and not the hot afternoon sun, the prevailing wind in Summer is an easterly. In most of WA it is hot, but for us, it comes off the bight, so is a cooling sea breeze, and although we are only 300m above sea level, the surrounding land is low and flat, so I believe that the way the easterly is uplifted as it hits the Porongurups is important too."  Rob Diletti, Winemaker