Winning Riesling crafted to showcase flavours of Stoneleigh Vineyard

Stoneleigh Riesling 2023 has been named the Orora Limited Champion Riesling of the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Tim Mills says the trophy-winning wine is made with care to ensure balance and a showcase of flavours from the vineyard.

He shares some insight into what went into making the wine after a vintage that posed many weather-related challenges…

Congratulations on winning the Champion Riesling trophy this year. Can you tell us about the Stoneleigh Riesling 2023 and what makes it stand out?

The Stoneleigh Vineyard is what makes our Riesling stand out! Situated on Rapaura Road it has some of the oldest vines in Marlborough, with some dating back to 1981.  This vineyard and the grapes off it are what make Stoneleigh Riesling special and have done so for decades! The wine has incredible balance and while being delicate has a depth of flavour that only comes from vines with maturity.  

Was there anything particularly special about the 2023 vintage which helped you achieve such a fantastic wine?

Even though the early part of the growing season provided many weather-related challenges, our crews did an amazing job in the vineyard keeping the Riesling clean and maturing beautifully. When the weather cleared and harvest began, we had great conditions for ripening and were able to pick the Riesling at optimal ripeness.  From there it was just a matter of capturing the wine during ferment with a perfect harmony between acidity and sugar and letting the flavours from the vineyard shine.

Marlborough is widely known for its Sauvignon Blanc. What would you tell people about the ability of the region to produce equally great-drinking Riesling?

Marlborough is home to some amazing Riesling, for which we as a company are proud to be a part of.  Riesling loves a long, cool growing season that allows the grapes to develop an amazing depth of flavour, for which Marlborough is famous. When Riesling is at its best, the wines are beautifully balanced with citrus, floral and tropical fruits harmonising together to create wines of real complexity. But Riesling also requires diligent and expert winemaking - which this valley is abundant with.  Balance of all its components is key to Riesling, and there are many great examples around the valley that warrant searching out. From dry to sweet and everything in between, there is a Riesling for everyone!

How long have you been entering the competition and why is it an important one for your team?

We have supported this show from the outset of the competition, and it is an awesome, if not somewhat daunting, challenge to put our wines up against the best in the region. The show is brilliantly run and very important to us as a company to support and take part in. We take a lot of pride whenever we attain success and to be acknowledged against our peers in a regional competition is a fantastic reward for the entire team!