Coopers Creek Ries Mr Phebus 09

Although Coopers Creek have flirted with Riesling, and successfully so, this ‘Select Vineyard’ wine, the first Riesling so-designated, is something different and something quite special. It is made from a small parcel of hand-picked fruit from the Ellin vineyard on Dog Point Road at the mouth of the Omaka Valley. “The fruit was simply sensational in terms of purity and focus” says winemaker Simon Nunns, and he had to capture this in bottle. And that he has done. The wine is elegant at 12.0% alc, distinctly crisp and dry, and possesses beautiful lime and lemon blossom aromas and flavours on a silken textured palate. A subtle richness through the line and length of the wine is the only indication of its 12 g/l residual sugar. Yet it appears dry, a result of the extremely low pH of 2.90. It makes an outstanding aperitif and will match all Asian cuisines. The wine has all the hallmarks for aging superbly. Simon in his ever matter-of-fact manner is less committal about its cellaring ability: “Not sure yet, as we have never made a Riesling in this style. We’ll let you know in a few years!” Our estimation is 7-8 years easily. We can’t come up with a definitive version of how ‘Mister Phebus’ got its name. Simon surmises Andrew Hendry came up with it while listening to the Concert Programme one day: Phebus=Phoebus=Latin name for Apollo or Helios=’Radiant One’. Riesling is radiant and pure, ergo, Riesling=Phebus!

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