2024 Zymo Wines Riesling $48

Jim Forchini was a NASA engineer who retired and bought a vineyard in Sonoma County in the early 1970s. By the time Sierra Blair reached her mid-teens, the kid from California knew she wanted to follow in her grandfather's footsteps.

Blair carefully navigated her way through four years of study at the University of California (Davis) and emerged with a Bachelor of Science (Viticulture and Oenology). She then set out on her own wine journey.

New Zealand, the USA and France all provided stops along the way.

After three years in Western Australia, Blair moved to Tasmania and signed for the 2019 vintage at Ghost Rock Vineyard, just outside Devonport. She's been there ever since, now holding the reins as chief winemaker, in addition to pursuing her own side hustle under the Zymo Wines label.

The brand Blair established in 2022 takes its name from the word 'zymology' – the science of fermentation.

This is not your run-of-the-mill Riesling. Blair set lose her creative spirit and brought this 2024 wine to life with the kind of winemaking you'd expect to see with a barrel-fermented Chardonnay. Lightly pressed; wild-fermented in neutral oak; 9 months lees-ageing with occasional stirring; bottled without fining.

Blair's goal was Riesling with great texture, one that treads the high wire connecting residual sugar and high natural acidity. (The fruit was sourced from Tasmania's North West.)

Delicate white flower aromas soon give way to spicy/limey notes. The mouthfilling citrussy/green apple flavours that follow really hop, skip and jump across the palate and continue on down the red lane. The wine may have just celebrated its second birthday but it's still just a babe-out-of-the-woods. Lithe and vibrant.

Enjoy it now at the meal table with something fresh and Thai-inspired, or you can hang onto it for a while if you prefer. Riesling from Tasmania has a habit of cellaring wonderfully well. This would be an ideal purchase to set aside for a significant family event to be celebrated in 2034.

Source: Ullage Wine trade tasting

www.zymowine.com.au

Last page update: 18 October 2026