“A tour de force of fizz and riesling”
A couple of years ago Ned Goodwin, a wine writer with Halliday, uttered these words about Colmar Estate: “This producer is becoming a tour de force of fizz and riesling”. If he has been following events in the last few of weeks, he would have been pretty happy with his assessment.
2015 Methode Traditionelle L.D.
- Trophy and Gold Medal, 2025 NSW Small Winemakers Show
- Gold Medal, 2025 NSW Wine Awards
2017 Blanc de Blancs
- Gold Medal, 2025 NSW Small Winemakers Show
- Gold Medal, 2025 NSW Wine Awards
2023 Block 5 Riesling
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Trophy and Gold Medal, 2025 Orange Wine Show
So there’s a wine writer who knows his stuff! But he’s not alone. Adam Brasher, writing for The Real Review, liked the 2015 Methode Traditionelle L.D. too.
"A youthful mid-straw in the glass, strong mousse and a fine bead. Complex aromas of nuts, brioche, grapefruit pith, white peach, sherbet and white flowers. Quite powerful and full flavoured, there's a core of white stone fruit that works beautifully with the pithy citrus edge and chalky acidity. Deliciously decadent fizz."
He awarded it 95 points, which is a gold medal score. Aaron’s description of the aromas of this wine is probably better than mine. It took me half an hour to come up with the few words that appear on our website: “honey on buttered toast, roasted nuts, nougat, meringue, oh my goodness!”. The point is, this wine has complexity and accurate descriptions are difficult.
2023 Block 5 Riesling
Riesling is going from strength to strength in the Orange region – our cool climate suits the variety to a tee. The riesling class at the 2025 Orange Wine Show was very strong and therefore very competitive. Four gold medals awarded, but why did our Block 5 stand out and snatch the trophy? Here’s an assessment of wine writer Stuart Knox from The Real Review:
Very pale with a hint of lemon yellow. Mango, frangipani and cumin aromatics. Concentrated mango and lime fruits on entry, chalky minerality accentuates both fine acidity and a phenolic grip that adds tension and focus to the long and precise finish. There’s many elements here that add intensity but the harmony in which they’re presented is what sets this wine apart. Delightful!
Stuart awarded it 96 points, a high score which usually aligns with a trophy in a wine show. There is so much insight crammed into so few words in this tasting note.
It’s great to see the consistency between wine show results and the assessments of our leading wine writers. Of course, the ultimate test is dinner at your place!