2023 RIESLING
95 Points - Jane Faulkner, Halliday
To date, the finest riesling from this boutique producer. It’s enticing, mouth-watering and compelling. It starts with aromas of lemon blossom, ginger flower and makrut lime leaves. The palate unfurls with tangy lemon juice and citrus/mint herbal tea giving way to a more textural element of creamed honey and beeswax, yet such refreshing acidity keeps this reined in and oh-so fine.
95 Points - Emma Farrally, Wine Pinot
Vibrant and exotic aromatics of ginger, jasmine and lychee. Waves of fresh acidity cut through the intense concentration of fruit – ripe peach, lemon sherbet and fine spice. Gentle creamy texture is woven through the palate finishing with excellent line and length.
95 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
A sheer delight! What a beauty! From the Macedon Ranges comes this super expression of Riesling. Jump on board with Lyon's Will - they're not doing much wrong. Pretty is the word. Green apples and green apple skin come with waves of bath powder and a little purple flower mouth perfume. The acid and sugar waltz with absolute ease. Minerally feels come courtesy of quartz and river stones. Drying to close, it's chalky and powdery as it saps moisture from the mouth. It's a alive, flirtatious and playful. Gee, it's a smashing drink.
94 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Holds around ten grams residual sugar, sees a wild yeast ferment and hangs out in barrel pre bottle life. Has five to ten hours skin contact too. Beautiful wine, delicious drinking, come hither, barely there sweetness in lime and ginger tea with sweet, Granny Smith apple flavours and scents in tow. Waxy textured, a touch chalky-minerally, long, frisky, gently palate staining finish too. All the right moves.
92 Points - Ned Goodwin, JamesSuckling.com
I like this light weighted expression for its ample textural persuasion and juicy, ratherh than shrill acidity. Lemon drop, talc, tarte tartin and spiced quince, with a curtain of gentle sweetness toning the energetic finish. Fun drinking.
90 Points - Stuart Knox, The Real Review
Light, bright lemon hue. Mandarin, honeysuckle and turmeric aromas. Off-dry to almost medium sweet with bright citrus on the palate. There's a chalky texture to the wine which provides a good contrast to the sweetness. Good length and that phenolic grip ensures a clean finish.
To date, the finest riesling from this boutique producer. It’s enticing, mouth-watering and compelling. It starts with aromas of lemon blossom, ginger flower and makrut lime leaves. The palate unfurls with tangy lemon juice and citrus/mint herbal tea giving way to a more textural element of creamed honey and beeswax, yet such refreshing acidity keeps this reined in and oh-so fine.
95 Points - Emma Farrally, Wine Pinot
Vibrant and exotic aromatics of ginger, jasmine and lychee. Waves of fresh acidity cut through the intense concentration of fruit – ripe peach, lemon sherbet and fine spice. Gentle creamy texture is woven through the palate finishing with excellent line and length.
95 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
A sheer delight! What a beauty! From the Macedon Ranges comes this super expression of Riesling. Jump on board with Lyon's Will - they're not doing much wrong. Pretty is the word. Green apples and green apple skin come with waves of bath powder and a little purple flower mouth perfume. The acid and sugar waltz with absolute ease. Minerally feels come courtesy of quartz and river stones. Drying to close, it's chalky and powdery as it saps moisture from the mouth. It's a alive, flirtatious and playful. Gee, it's a smashing drink.
94 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Holds around ten grams residual sugar, sees a wild yeast ferment and hangs out in barrel pre bottle life. Has five to ten hours skin contact too. Beautiful wine, delicious drinking, come hither, barely there sweetness in lime and ginger tea with sweet, Granny Smith apple flavours and scents in tow. Waxy textured, a touch chalky-minerally, long, frisky, gently palate staining finish too. All the right moves.
92 Points - Ned Goodwin, JamesSuckling.com
I like this light weighted expression for its ample textural persuasion and juicy, ratherh than shrill acidity. Lemon drop, talc, tarte tartin and spiced quince, with a curtain of gentle sweetness toning the energetic finish. Fun drinking.
90 Points - Stuart Knox, The Real Review
Light, bright lemon hue. Mandarin, honeysuckle and turmeric aromas. Off-dry to almost medium sweet with bright citrus on the palate. There's a chalky texture to the wine which provides a good contrast to the sweetness. Good length and that phenolic grip ensures a clean finish.
2022 RIESLING
95 Points - Jane Faulkner, Wine Companion
Spine-tingling freshness from go to whoa thanks to its super-fine acidity. There's more, the lime juice and zest wafts of lemon verbena and the overall talc-like texture ensure this is a lovely drink with or without food.
94 Points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
The starting point is the clear fruit intensity but what I really love is the unabashed texture. This is a riesling that doesn’t mind a bit of grip, a bit of squeak. It tastes of lemon curd and musk sticks, lemon sorbet and flowery herbs. It’s bitingly intense but then, everything here feels uncompromised and true-to-itself. This wine will live for a very long time.
94 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
I love this. What a drink! It's minerally, it's focused and it zeros in on the pleasure zone with pinpoint accuracy. Well played Lyons Will.
Tart green apples and a chalky texture are the order of the day. Fine boned, stunning scents of musk, Jasmine flowers and lemon zest add some mouth perfume too. Long, texturally complex, it slowly pushes through the mouth and gets in deep. That length! Yep, I love this. If you enjoy minerally Rieslings, Polish Hill River like, head on this way.
96 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Attractive lime-cordial and white-flower aromas are married to a light body with an appealingly silky texture. Bright lime zest and wet-stone minerality at the very clean steely finish.
Spine-tingling freshness from go to whoa thanks to its super-fine acidity. There's more, the lime juice and zest wafts of lemon verbena and the overall talc-like texture ensure this is a lovely drink with or without food.
94 Points - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
The starting point is the clear fruit intensity but what I really love is the unabashed texture. This is a riesling that doesn’t mind a bit of grip, a bit of squeak. It tastes of lemon curd and musk sticks, lemon sorbet and flowery herbs. It’s bitingly intense but then, everything here feels uncompromised and true-to-itself. This wine will live for a very long time.
94 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
I love this. What a drink! It's minerally, it's focused and it zeros in on the pleasure zone with pinpoint accuracy. Well played Lyons Will.
Tart green apples and a chalky texture are the order of the day. Fine boned, stunning scents of musk, Jasmine flowers and lemon zest add some mouth perfume too. Long, texturally complex, it slowly pushes through the mouth and gets in deep. That length! Yep, I love this. If you enjoy minerally Rieslings, Polish Hill River like, head on this way.
96 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Attractive lime-cordial and white-flower aromas are married to a light body with an appealingly silky texture. Bright lime zest and wet-stone minerality at the very clean steely finish.
2021 Riesling
96 Points - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
So fresh and packed with white peach, lemon and lime, as well as sliced apricot and more. So expressive with plenty of perfume. The palate has big, flavorsome, fleshy presence that wraps long and fresh. So juice, there's a lot to love about this.
94 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
Lacy and delicate, this is a damn clever Riesling.Part wild yeast fermented, 50% was destemmed and sat on skins for 4-6 hours seeing old French oak on lees three months.
This exudes a sexy body that maneuvers around the mouth with ease. Lemon tang and lemon juice race for your attention before green apples swoop. With a lick of residual sweetness that is handled with class (9g/L), this is so impressive. That finish just sizzles. Come at me. Drink now to five years.
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Macedon and riesling in the crosshairs here. Holds nine grams of residual sugar, not that you’d say the wine is sweet, but I immediately looked up from my brown bag tasting and went ‘oh, something different here’ amongst the bone dry rieslings. It hangs out in barrels too.
Fuller figured riesling but with lots of acidity and cut, structure and shape. Chalky texture cupping the juicier, lime juice, faint tropical fruity notes and sweet apple juice characters. Long, firm finish from a powerful start too. Lots of fragrance. The more the wine sat open the drier it seemed to be, and more complex. Quite something. It’s a very serious riesling, and delicious.
92 Points - Jane Faulkner, Wine Companion
This is a lovely, enjoyable drink. It sits right. Plenty of flavour, from lemon barley water, mandarin zest, pine lime Splice with some lemon curd. No shortage of mouth-watering acidity eithe, yet the lick of sweetness keeps the palate in check while adding texture. Dangerously gluggable.
92 Points - Andrew Graham, Oz Wine Review
Riesling with plenty going on. Fermented with a little skin contact, some wild ferment in old oak, and the juice spends some time in old oak post ferment. 9g/L RS for perspective. The residual seems more on the nose – a fullness underpinned by grapefruit – and fills up the palate. There’s a certain exoticness on the palate though, with plenty of natural acidity and a lemony freshness, but the flavour intensity isn’t quite there. It’s stylish and so clever though, even if I want more power. A balanced drink too, and the sugar seems fair for this style of textured Riesling. Again, an interesting, thoughtful wine.
91 Points - Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review
Heady notes of spice and honey lure you in. Its fine and filigreed composure flows effortlessly through the palate. The acidity is high and cleansing, signing off with great length.
Sean Mitchell, The Grape Observer
This is a very tight riesling. Its alcohol is only 10.8, it finishes dry despite residual sugar of 9g/l and spent 3 months in French oak (old anticipated). The dry impression is likely attributable to its very firm acidity and low pH (2.99). The result in the glass is an ultra crisp style of cool climate riesling. It opens to aromas of red apple and florals. The palate is medium bodied, dry, the alcohol light and its flavour has an intense, crab apple like character. The combination of very high acidity and the cool very citric character of its flavours mean that this wine will appeal to consumers who appreciate high acid styles. It will benefit from 3 to 5 years of cellaring, and then can be approached over the next decade and probably much longer.
So fresh and packed with white peach, lemon and lime, as well as sliced apricot and more. So expressive with plenty of perfume. The palate has big, flavorsome, fleshy presence that wraps long and fresh. So juice, there's a lot to love about this.
94 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
Lacy and delicate, this is a damn clever Riesling.Part wild yeast fermented, 50% was destemmed and sat on skins for 4-6 hours seeing old French oak on lees three months.
This exudes a sexy body that maneuvers around the mouth with ease. Lemon tang and lemon juice race for your attention before green apples swoop. With a lick of residual sweetness that is handled with class (9g/L), this is so impressive. That finish just sizzles. Come at me. Drink now to five years.
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Macedon and riesling in the crosshairs here. Holds nine grams of residual sugar, not that you’d say the wine is sweet, but I immediately looked up from my brown bag tasting and went ‘oh, something different here’ amongst the bone dry rieslings. It hangs out in barrels too.
Fuller figured riesling but with lots of acidity and cut, structure and shape. Chalky texture cupping the juicier, lime juice, faint tropical fruity notes and sweet apple juice characters. Long, firm finish from a powerful start too. Lots of fragrance. The more the wine sat open the drier it seemed to be, and more complex. Quite something. It’s a very serious riesling, and delicious.
92 Points - Jane Faulkner, Wine Companion
This is a lovely, enjoyable drink. It sits right. Plenty of flavour, from lemon barley water, mandarin zest, pine lime Splice with some lemon curd. No shortage of mouth-watering acidity eithe, yet the lick of sweetness keeps the palate in check while adding texture. Dangerously gluggable.
92 Points - Andrew Graham, Oz Wine Review
Riesling with plenty going on. Fermented with a little skin contact, some wild ferment in old oak, and the juice spends some time in old oak post ferment. 9g/L RS for perspective. The residual seems more on the nose – a fullness underpinned by grapefruit – and fills up the palate. There’s a certain exoticness on the palate though, with plenty of natural acidity and a lemony freshness, but the flavour intensity isn’t quite there. It’s stylish and so clever though, even if I want more power. A balanced drink too, and the sugar seems fair for this style of textured Riesling. Again, an interesting, thoughtful wine.
91 Points - Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review
Heady notes of spice and honey lure you in. Its fine and filigreed composure flows effortlessly through the palate. The acidity is high and cleansing, signing off with great length.
Sean Mitchell, The Grape Observer
This is a very tight riesling. Its alcohol is only 10.8, it finishes dry despite residual sugar of 9g/l and spent 3 months in French oak (old anticipated). The dry impression is likely attributable to its very firm acidity and low pH (2.99). The result in the glass is an ultra crisp style of cool climate riesling. It opens to aromas of red apple and florals. The palate is medium bodied, dry, the alcohol light and its flavour has an intense, crab apple like character. The combination of very high acidity and the cool very citric character of its flavours mean that this wine will appeal to consumers who appreciate high acid styles. It will benefit from 3 to 5 years of cellaring, and then can be approached over the next decade and probably much longer.
2020 Riesling
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Macedon Ranges, good people, good wines. Sound ingredients. Juicy vibes, sweet lime, green apple, a clatter of minerally tang. Very fresh feeling with easy appeal, some nice nuttiness in the backdrop of flavours, a soft, powdery finish though mouth-watering acidity feels part of that as well. Broader spread of flavour and texture in the palate, but that’s ok, good even, a different expression of Riesling emerges. Very appealing.
93 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
Gee I wish I knew about these guys earlier. This is a fabulous Riesling.
From a vineyard 540 metres above, only 60 cases of Riesling was produced. Seeing three months of old oak, some residual sweetness only heightens its appeal.
Limes and florals, this is dangerously delicious. A gravitating textural pull lassos you across the table for more. Quite cleansing, this is a very well made Riesling that is beautifully balanced. Green apples are laced throughout with a slight crunch. A fine chalkiness to close but I just keep going back. Big love for this. Drink to five years.
90 Points - Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
Aromas of lime, cooked orange and hessian. That Bickfords lime juice hits the palate as well, there's some candied ginger and grapefruit pith and a little touch of residual sugar fills out the very textural palate.
Macedon Ranges, good people, good wines. Sound ingredients. Juicy vibes, sweet lime, green apple, a clatter of minerally tang. Very fresh feeling with easy appeal, some nice nuttiness in the backdrop of flavours, a soft, powdery finish though mouth-watering acidity feels part of that as well. Broader spread of flavour and texture in the palate, but that’s ok, good even, a different expression of Riesling emerges. Very appealing.
93 Points - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine
Gee I wish I knew about these guys earlier. This is a fabulous Riesling.
From a vineyard 540 metres above, only 60 cases of Riesling was produced. Seeing three months of old oak, some residual sweetness only heightens its appeal.
Limes and florals, this is dangerously delicious. A gravitating textural pull lassos you across the table for more. Quite cleansing, this is a very well made Riesling that is beautifully balanced. Green apples are laced throughout with a slight crunch. A fine chalkiness to close but I just keep going back. Big love for this. Drink to five years.
90 Points - Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
Aromas of lime, cooked orange and hessian. That Bickfords lime juice hits the palate as well, there's some candied ginger and grapefruit pith and a little touch of residual sugar fills out the very textural palate.
2019 Riesling
94 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
This is straight up delicious. Marries citrus and green apple with minerally things and light herbal detail, feels cool and restrained but pretty too. Fresh and vibrant, a gloss to texture then a crispness and chalky pucker to finish, mouth-watering too. A delicate riesling expression done so very well.
94 Points - James Halliday, Wine Companion
Hand-picked, destemmed, 6-8 hours skin contact, fermented in used oak, matured for 3 months. Bright straw-green; the vinification may have helped with the acidity (which is quite soft), but hasn't impacted on the juicy citrus and lemon curd flavours. The indicative response is simple - just drink it.
92 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Light to mid-yellow colour, showing some development; the bouquet loaded with lemon-pith aromas and some yeasty overtones. In the mouth, it's very lively and delicate, with plenty of frisky acidity and a tickle of sweetness helping to keep the balance. A very nice wine, which needs a bit more time to build its bouquet. Fermented in old barrels, but it's not obvious.
Young Guns of Wine
Lifted nose of lemon, lime pith, blossom and waxy orchard fruits, with a savoury stone fruit kernel note coming through. Lemon curd, beeswax and a hint of sour pineapple come with time in glass. There are some lightly creamy notes and a sense of barrel raising, but the fruit wins the day, for sure. There’s a little sugar in this, but it gives the wine ballast against the piercing acidity, rather than adding actual sweetness, just necessary harmony and weight.
This is straight up delicious. Marries citrus and green apple with minerally things and light herbal detail, feels cool and restrained but pretty too. Fresh and vibrant, a gloss to texture then a crispness and chalky pucker to finish, mouth-watering too. A delicate riesling expression done so very well.
94 Points - James Halliday, Wine Companion
Hand-picked, destemmed, 6-8 hours skin contact, fermented in used oak, matured for 3 months. Bright straw-green; the vinification may have helped with the acidity (which is quite soft), but hasn't impacted on the juicy citrus and lemon curd flavours. The indicative response is simple - just drink it.
92 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Light to mid-yellow colour, showing some development; the bouquet loaded with lemon-pith aromas and some yeasty overtones. In the mouth, it's very lively and delicate, with plenty of frisky acidity and a tickle of sweetness helping to keep the balance. A very nice wine, which needs a bit more time to build its bouquet. Fermented in old barrels, but it's not obvious.
Young Guns of Wine
Lifted nose of lemon, lime pith, blossom and waxy orchard fruits, with a savoury stone fruit kernel note coming through. Lemon curd, beeswax and a hint of sour pineapple come with time in glass. There are some lightly creamy notes and a sense of barrel raising, but the fruit wins the day, for sure. There’s a little sugar in this, but it gives the wine ballast against the piercing acidity, rather than adding actual sweetness, just necessary harmony and weight.
2018 Riesling
96 Points - Campbell Mattinson, Wine Companion
It's tempting to talk of the wine's texture, because it's noteworthy, but the intensity of fruit flavour here is so thrilling that it sweeps all before it. Orange rind, lime and apple flavours career through the palate in totally convincing style. It doesn't put itself up there and politely ask for an assessment; it demands that it's quality be recognised.
94 Points - Patrick Eckel, Wine Reviewer
Gee there is some good winemaking technique on show here, the nose captivates you with jasmine, lime and meyer lemon with the faintest touch of lees funk. The palate has just enough residual sugar to give a beautiful counterpoint to a searing line of acidity. There have only been 1350 bottles produced so good luck tracking it down. Another example of how interesting Riesling can be that comes out of Macedon Ranges region.
Well done to Lyons Will for the risky winemaking approach; it paid off.
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
A curious mix of characters here that run from sweet-sour fruit characters to lightly soapy sort of things and a lick of light butteriness – yet there’s definitive riesling vibes going on. Dive in, I say. More width and amplitude of flavour than most riesling, more depth in perfume. I’d say this will polarise riesling stalwarts, but I dig it.
92 Points - Toni Paterson, The Real Review
Now here is an interesting wine from Victoria's Macedon Ranges, but it does need a little air to show its true colours. At first, the nose is quite nutty and biscuity, but after decanting, these elements blow off to reveal a wine of good purity and varietal clarity. There is excellent mid-palate succulence and juiciness, supported by a long line of acid, plus a touch of integrated sweetness to balance
It's tempting to talk of the wine's texture, because it's noteworthy, but the intensity of fruit flavour here is so thrilling that it sweeps all before it. Orange rind, lime and apple flavours career through the palate in totally convincing style. It doesn't put itself up there and politely ask for an assessment; it demands that it's quality be recognised.
94 Points - Patrick Eckel, Wine Reviewer
Gee there is some good winemaking technique on show here, the nose captivates you with jasmine, lime and meyer lemon with the faintest touch of lees funk. The palate has just enough residual sugar to give a beautiful counterpoint to a searing line of acidity. There have only been 1350 bottles produced so good luck tracking it down. Another example of how interesting Riesling can be that comes out of Macedon Ranges region.
Well done to Lyons Will for the risky winemaking approach; it paid off.
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
A curious mix of characters here that run from sweet-sour fruit characters to lightly soapy sort of things and a lick of light butteriness – yet there’s definitive riesling vibes going on. Dive in, I say. More width and amplitude of flavour than most riesling, more depth in perfume. I’d say this will polarise riesling stalwarts, but I dig it.
92 Points - Toni Paterson, The Real Review
Now here is an interesting wine from Victoria's Macedon Ranges, but it does need a little air to show its true colours. At first, the nose is quite nutty and biscuity, but after decanting, these elements blow off to reveal a wine of good purity and varietal clarity. There is excellent mid-palate succulence and juiciness, supported by a long line of acid, plus a touch of integrated sweetness to balance
2017 Riesling
96 Points - James Halliday, Wine Companion
Young vines planted '13, destemmed, short skin contact, basket-pressed, fermented in old oak, matured for 3 months in oak, then 2 months in tank. The longest, most slender bottle sends a message. The vinification has worked very well indeed, the clarity of fruit expression and overall balance very impressive. Lime and Granny Smith apple fruit flavours have a fine backbone of acidity.
95 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Lyons Will was established in Macedon Ranges in 1996 but it wasn’t until recently that things escalated... This Riesling is a step up, picked fresh then left to mature in old barrels. It’s a striking wine. A producer to keep an eye on for sure.
High tension Riesling of precision and quiet complexity. Has a muted perfume of green apple, lime, slate, tonic water. Delicious start and understated. The palate is where the rush is – a racy, precise thrust of tightly wound yet succulent lime-mineral-steel feeling, with just a hint of oatmeal or nuttiness underlying. It’s so delicious. Riesling enthusiasts will find this a blast. Instantly a wine in my top-of-pack mob for the variety.
93 Points - Patrick Eckel, Wine Reviewer
The wine was produced from estate fruit, basket pressed and aged in old oak. A little residual sugar was kept in the wine but it’s slinked into the background doing its job providing a counterpoint to the wines mineral, taut acidity.
A nose of jasmine, lime and the faintest touch of picked ginger. The palate has beautiful balance with slate like acidity giving impressive lines, in terms of citrus fruits the wine very much sits on the lime side of the spectrum. There is a chalkiness to finish with flashes of jasmine returning to add complexity.
Young vines planted '13, destemmed, short skin contact, basket-pressed, fermented in old oak, matured for 3 months in oak, then 2 months in tank. The longest, most slender bottle sends a message. The vinification has worked very well indeed, the clarity of fruit expression and overall balance very impressive. Lime and Granny Smith apple fruit flavours have a fine backbone of acidity.
95 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Lyons Will was established in Macedon Ranges in 1996 but it wasn’t until recently that things escalated... This Riesling is a step up, picked fresh then left to mature in old barrels. It’s a striking wine. A producer to keep an eye on for sure.
High tension Riesling of precision and quiet complexity. Has a muted perfume of green apple, lime, slate, tonic water. Delicious start and understated. The palate is where the rush is – a racy, precise thrust of tightly wound yet succulent lime-mineral-steel feeling, with just a hint of oatmeal or nuttiness underlying. It’s so delicious. Riesling enthusiasts will find this a blast. Instantly a wine in my top-of-pack mob for the variety.
93 Points - Patrick Eckel, Wine Reviewer
The wine was produced from estate fruit, basket pressed and aged in old oak. A little residual sugar was kept in the wine but it’s slinked into the background doing its job providing a counterpoint to the wines mineral, taut acidity.
A nose of jasmine, lime and the faintest touch of picked ginger. The palate has beautiful balance with slate like acidity giving impressive lines, in terms of citrus fruits the wine very much sits on the lime side of the spectrum. There is a chalkiness to finish with flashes of jasmine returning to add complexity.