O'Leary Walker Watervale Riesling 2023

In 2000, with over 35 years of experience making wine with some of Australia's biggest wine companies, long-time friends David O'Leary and Nick Walker established O'Leary Walker Wines. Not surprisingly, it didn't take long for them to establish a formidable reputation, particularly for their superb Polish Hill River and Watervale Rieslings and a range of classic Clare Valley Shiraz.  

"This bottle of joy is from a classic Watervale vineyard with a westerly aspect, the fruit destemmed, crushed and gently pressed. A very pale green/gold with a powerful and concentrated nose offering florals, minerals, wet slate, chalk and limes. Powerful but refined at all stages. With excellent length and a softly pleasing texture, this has a fine line of acidity while the palate offers a lovely lingering lemon pie note right at the finish. Two things are certain. This will continue to improve and it is criminally underpriced."  Ken Gargett

The Watervale fruit is from the vineyard of Neil and Heather Grace, a dry grown vineyard (meaning it relies only on natural rainfall) which is hand pruned and hand picked. With its classic red loam over limestone soil, the vines have a source of moisture from the limestone to ensure their health through the summer months.

Expert reviews

"After tasting the sublime pair of 2023 O'Leary Walker Rieslings I can easily be convinced that 2023 is on par with the outstanding 2022 vintage in the Clare Valley. The Watervale has a beautifully balanced core of citrusy lemon and lime flavours in a sea of refreshing acidity. It's powerful yet refined and delicate, perfectly balanced, and the finish is pure and long. Classic Watervale. While it's a treat to drink now, it's also a died-in-the-wool stayer. Exceptional value."  Nick Munday, Canterbury Wines - 96+ points and Special Value Wine  ★

"Beautiful, arresting aromatics and a rare delicacy; you just know you are in Watervale territory when you set upon that aroma, those flavours. Scents of citrus blossom, lemon zest, lime sorbet and spring flowers with a touch of lantana bring not only a sense of place but grape variety. The ’23 vintage looks to be another excellent year, making it three in a row for Clare Riesling, joining the outstanding ’21 and ’22. Not quite as seamless as its ’23 sibling but give it time. This youngster is still very much working at getting it together. There’s a clean, brisk acidity that’s tart and green apple crunchy. It drives the wine bringing in its wake lime cordial, pink grapefruit, ginger spice, citrus zest and a cool slate, wet stone tang. So pure, so good. Drink: 2023-2035."  Jeni Port, Wine Pilot – 95 points

"Pretty as ever, the O'Leary Walker Watervale Riesling is always an aromatic beauty. Clare Riesling has been smashing in in recent years and this release exemplifies that once again. White field flowers, citrus flowers, green apple skin, and lime zest come running at speed. A starburst of fruit sizzles in the mouth with citrus zest and juice front and centre. Zippy acidity with a green apple crunch for the win and a super fine cinnamon/ginger spice continue to elevate the pleasure factor. Yes, fill my bucket, please. Drink now and embrace the freshness."  Steve Leszczynski, Qwine - 95 points

"There is serious power and focus to be found in this 2023 Watervale Riesling with its tightly coiled stony, pithy, aromas with hints of dried flowers. Fabulous texture and intensity to follow, with freshly squeezed citrus flavours enhanced by granitic minerality that hold strong right through on a lengthy, acid-driven finish. An excellent vintage for this label. Drink: 2026-2038."  Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot - 94 points 

"Very light colour and a reserved, shy, but refined and delicately scented lime/mandarin bouquet, with background mineral and floral touches. It’s delicate and refreshing to taste, not overly dry/austere but refreshing and clean at the finish. Dried flower heads and slaty minerals. Delicious and very appetising. Drink 2023-2035."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 94 points

"Seems 2023 makes it a hat trick of great vintages in the Clare for Riesling. This bottle of joy is from a classic Watervale vineyard with a westerly aspect, the fruit destemmed, crushed and gently pressed. The free run juice is settled and then fermented over the best part of two weeks. A very pale green/gold with a powerful and concentrated nose offering florals, minerals, wet slate, chalk and limes. Powerful but refined at all stages. With excellent length and a softly pleasing texture, this has a fine line of acidity while the palate offers a lovely lingering lemon pie note right at the finish. Drink over the next eight to twelve years, but it will certainly go for at least two decades, well cellared. Two things are certain. This will continue to improve and it is criminally underpriced (although long may it remain so for all us Riesling fans). Drink: 2023-2043."  Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot - 94 points

"Intensity, length and texture: there’s a combination for you. This tastes of lime, lime rind, bath salts and florals; it has a depth to it; there’s a banana-skin aspect to the aromatics but the palate dives deeper. Rating: very good plus. Drink: 2023 - 2028+."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 93 points

"Value is a byword when considering the O'Leary Walker riesling offerings, and no disappointment with that here. Scents of lime and green apple, frangipani and faint finger bun whiffs. The palate is more of the lime, actually, lots of that, with a pleasing riff of anise, nearly licorice, coursing through the mid-palate and finish. The essence of the wine is built around general refreshment for drinkers, though there's good regional character built in. Pleasing stuff. Drink by 2035."  Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion - 92 points and Special Value Wine  ★ 

Awards

Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★ 
Special Value Wine – Canterbury Wines  ★ 

The vineyards

Clare Valley Vineyards

The Clare Valley has a world-renowned reputation for producing elegant Rieslings. We source our fruit from two sub-regions within the Clare Valley, Watervale and the Polish Hill River Valley. The Watervale fruit is from the vineyard of Neil and Heather Grace, which is hand pruned and hand picked. With its classic red loam over limestone soil, the vines have a source of moisture from the limestone to ensure their health through the summer months.

The Polish Hill Valley fruit is from two vineyards which are virtually next-door to each other. Martin and Joan Smith's vineyard is now farmed biodynamically and across the Road is the Molloy's vineyard both of which are excellent examples of the quality this sub-region can produce. The soils are characterized by grey loam over sandstone and slate. The topsoils are littered with rock and shales of slate. The vines are tough to survive in these harsh soils but their fruit bears the characteristics of elegance, finesse and intensity, always with a hint of beautiful chalky bath powder!

Despite only being 9 kilometers from the Watervale sub-region, The Polish Hill River region is quite a bit cooler and typically the fruit ripens 2-3 weeks later. It is the slate of the Polish Hill River as distinct from the limestone of Watervale that creates the differences between the wines.

McLaren Vale Vineyard

We source Shiraz from a 50 plus year old vineyard called "Shadels” at McLaren Vale, owned by Angelo Maglieri and his Family. Angelo and Nick Walker go way back to the early eighties when Nick was a young winemaker at Krondorf, purchasing fruit from these classic vineyards. This relationship has been almost continuous for 30 years! When we first started O'Leary Walker Wines, we needed excellent fruit not just "run of the mill” quality. This vineyard had just come out of contract with Penfolds and was offered to us via our good relationship with Angelo. The soils are shallow loam over ironstone, quite rocky sub soils, well drained and tough. This vineyard has been incorporated in our blend since day one and has the great licorice, chocolate power that is the hallmark of McLaren Vale Shiraz, enhancing the inky, "building block” wines of the Clare Valley.

Adelaide Hills Vineyards

Fruit for our Adelaide Hills Wines is sourced from David and Sue Cherry's (nee O'Leary) Adelaide Hills vineyard and from the adjoining vineyard of Mark and Louise O'Leary, which is the original "Wyebo” property that was purchased by David's Grandfather in 1912. This site was planted in 1990 and selected on the basis of its soil structure, which has large quartz and slate running throughout the sub soils. With a gently sloping, North Easterly aspect, enhanced by elevation, ancient soils and weather patterns, characteristic influences from the Mt Lofty Ranges, this vineyard is a valuable asset to the winemaking at O'Leary Walker.

The Adelaide Hills with its cool climate and long, dry and even ripening season allows the vines to develop maximum varietal characters, producing intensely flavoursome fruit. The Adelaide Hills produces some of Australia's most elegant Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir wines.

About the winery

Nick Walker and David O'Leary

Prior to establishing O'Leary Walker Wines in 2000, long-time friends David O'Leary and Nick Walker spent twenty-plus vintages working for some of Australia's biggest winemaking companies such as Hardy's and Mildara Blass, and were involved in labels like Annies Lane, Chateau Reynella, Mildara, Krondorf and Yellowglen. The larger companies provided fantastic learning environments and they were privileged to have worked with some of the industry's greats.

The pair established O'Leary Walker Wines with the aim of producing small batches of carefully handcrafted wine from some of the best vineyard sites in South Australia. Initially their principal focus was on the Clare Valley and, not surprisingly, it didn't take long for them to establish a formidable reputation, particularly for their superb Polish Hill River and Watervale Rieslings and a range of classic Clare Valley Shiraz. Thereafter their attention swung to the Adelaide Hills where they now have 35ha of chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, shiraz, sauvignon blanc and merlot. The vineyards were certified organic in 2013.

David O'Leary

David began his career in 1977 with the Stanley Wine Company in the Clare Valley, doing a vintage as a lab assistant under Brian Barry. It was during this time that David was introduced to Clare Valley Rieslings, sparking a lifelong passion to achieve greatness with this variety.

David then spent a year with Petaluma and completed a vintage in Tasmania working for Heemskerk Wines before joining Chateau Reynella in 1981. This same year, he also graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College. In September 1982, Thomas Hardy and Sons purchased Chateau Reynella and David was charged with managing juice separation in Padthaway, initiating the exhausting trend of two vintages a year between Waikerie and Padthaway.

David was appointed group red winemaker for Hardy's in 1990 and held that role until joining Mildara Blass in 1994. At Mildara Blass, he held senior winemaking roles at Quelltaller Estate in the Clare Valley where he launched Annie's Lane, and at the Mildara Coonawarra-based Jamieson's Run winery. During his time with Hardy's and Mildara Blass, he also made wine in France and California, furthering his knowledge of the great wines and signature styles of the regions.

David has achieved considerable milestones in his career; a Jimmy Watson Trophy in 1988 and twice International Red Winemaker of the Year (1992 and 1994) sit proudly along with numerous other trophies and gold medals on his mantle.

David's goals remain unchanged: he simply wants to make great wine.

Nick Walker

Nick graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1982 and then followed the footsteps of his father and grandfather to become a third generation winemaker.

Nick's father Norm Walker was Managing Director at Seaview Champagne Cellars for over 22 years. Norm, along with his father Hurtle, has given over 100 years to the winemaking industry, in particular sparkling wine. Nick Walker and David O'Leary honour this family winemaking tradition by naming the O'Leary Walker Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay the 'Hurtle', in recognition of Nick's grandfather and father's achievements.

In 1983 Nick joined the Burge and Wilson team at Krondorf Wines as an assistant winemaker. During this time, he was instrumental in making some of the great Eden Valley Rieslings of the time and had enormous success on the show circuit with his wines.

Nick undertook sparkling winemaking duties in 1998-1999 at Yellowglen and was winemaker and manager at Yarra Ridge in 2000. Overall, he spent over 14 years with the Mildara Blass group, responsible for brands including Krondorf, Yellowglen Sparkling wines, Yarra Ridge, Baileys and St Huberts.

In November 1999, Nick joined forces with good friend David O'Leary to create O'Leary Walker Wines.

His philosophy is pretty simple: make the best wines possible from the best vineyard sites - and leave a little time for fishing.