Keeping up with “Elbows Up”, I have two Australian white wines you may want to consider enjoying for the upcoming holiday season. The wines are under screwcap, making for easy opening. Both wines are listed as being certified sustainable winegrowing and are vegan-friendly.
Oxford Landing
Oxford Landing takes sustainability seriously. They are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA). They ensure that their network of growers to ensure that their own vineyards and 100% of their family growers are SWA certified.
According to the winery, “For every hectare of vineyards we own, we have at least the equivalent area planted to native vegetation. In 2007, we purchased 600 hectares of farmland next to our vineyard and devoted ourselves to replanting and regenerating native flora and fauna, bringing life back to this region. Thanks to our former vineyard manager, the late Bill Wilksch, who spearheaded this project, over 200,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted in a dedicated conservation area at Oxford Landing…We recycle 100% of our winery wastewater across all of our Australian sites, repurposing this across our drought tolerant vines throughout Australia…we generate 24% of our power requirements through our own solar installations…package all of our Oxford Landing wines in lightweight glass, recycled cartons and FSC certified paper labels. ..”
Pewsey Vale,.m
Pewsey Vale is all about Riesling. That is all they sell. Pewsey Vale was the first Riesling vineyard planted in Eden Valley more than 175 years ago! They are also all about sustainability, being certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA) since 2021. The winery also farms biodynamically and uses wild ferments for their wines.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Oxford Landing Regenerate Chardonnay, 2024, Australia (BC $16.99)
Appearance: This wine has a bright, clear, medium plus lemon colour with a touch of green.
Nose: Medium-plus intensity aromas of citrus and citrus rind to start, along with grape stem and apple, but them with some time in the glass you get prominent stone fruit aromas. The aromas are a little lighter after decanting and sweet stone fruit scents become prominent, with little citrus.
Palate: Medium body with a soft, smooth, light mouthfeel. Medium acidity provides a light acidic prickle on your tongue. Mainly citrus, lime, with some stone fruit flavours. The stone fruit flavour with stronger with air and the lime decreases. The wine tastes drier after decanting and you et more acidic prickle on your tongue, so the wine is not as soft, but you now get more exciting flavour and texture in the glass.
Finish: A medium-plus length finishing with tart citrus, some grape stem bitterness and a touch of pepperiness. With some time in the glass, you also get stone fruits and honey flavours on the finish. After decanting, stone fruit flavours become more prominent and you get some citrus pith. The length stays at medium-plus.
I enjoyed this Chardonnay. It is nice and light with fresh citrus flavours to start, then more on the stone fruit side after decanting. I would say the decanted version is a bit nicer with the stone fruit aromas and flavours.
Rating: 
Oxford Landing Regenerate Chardonnay 2024 offers bright lemon and green hues in the glass, with evolving aromas that move from citrus, citrus rind, and apple to ripe stone fruits with some time in the glass. The palate is smooth, medium bodied, showing citrus and lime that give way to stone fruit, gaining more texture and liveliness after decanting as the acidity becomes more prominent. It finishes with medium-plus length, offering tart citrus, subtle bitterness and a touches of stone fruit and honey that become more pronounced with air.
Pewsey Vale Estate Riesling, 2024, Australia (BC $24.99)
Appearance: A medium-minus intensity, clear mix of lemon and straw colours in the glass.
Nose: Medium intensity aromas showing strong petrol with lesser amounts of stone fruits and a hint of lime. No change to the aromas after decanting.
Palate: Off-dry with a medium-plus body and a lean, thicker mouthfeel. Higher acidity leaves a medium intensity acidic prickle on your tongue. Petrol, citrus, citrus pith, and a touch of peach on the palate. The wine tastes drier after decanting, and the flavours and intensity stays the same.
Finish: Medium-plus length finishing with higher acidity, tart citrus, some bitterness and petrol flavours. No changes to the length or flavours on the finish.
This is a lean Riesling that has a significant amount of petrol on the nose and palate. If you don’t mind petrol aromas an flavours in your Riesling, give this wine a try. Decanting did not make any significant changes, so open and enjoy.
Rating: Pewsey Vale Estate Riesling 2024 presents a clear lemon-straw hue in the glass. The nose offers medium intensity aromas led by petrol, with lesser amounts of stone fruit and lime that remain unchanged after decanting. The palate is off-dry with medium-plus body, higher acidity and a lean, slightly thick texture, showing petrol, citrus, pith and a touch of peach. It tastes drier after decanting while the intensity stays consistent. This wine finishes with medium-plus length, marked by bright acidity, tart citrus, petrol and a touch of bitterness.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
The Pewsey Vale Estate Riesling 2024 is available at BC Liquor stores, once the BCGEU strike is over. The 2023 vintage is available at select Everything Wine, Marquis, and Legacy Liquor stores during the BCGEU strike.
The Oxford Landing Regenerate Chardonnay 2024 is a BCL exclusive wine and will be available once the BCGEU strike is over.
