Jim Barry, Clare Valley (South Australia) Riesling 2017

 Very nearly as good as the Jim Barry “Lodge Hill” Riesling but at a price that is 25% lower, this is a steal, and a delicious one at that.  Watervale is a district within the Clare Valley that makes memorable Rieslings every year, and this is surely no exception.  There’s actually even more richness and juiciness in this bottling than in the 2017 rendition of the “Lodge Hill” Riesling, and though I found more refinement in the more expensive of the two wines, this Watervale bottling most certainly does not taste like a trade-down.  It is fresh enough to work with shellfish or white-fleshed finfish, but also sufficiently flavorful to work well with chicken or other white meats.