Kanta Wines

2013 Kanta by Egon Müller Riesling | 93 Points | Mature Adelaide Hills Riesling

Name: 2013 Kanta by Egon Müller Riesling | 93 Points | Mature Adelaide Hills Riesling
Brand: Kanta Wines
Price: 35.00 AUD
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🏆 93 Points | The Legendary Egon Müller Makes Riesling in Australia – And This Bottle Is 13 Years Old!

93 Points – The Wine Front | 92 Points – Vinous

From the Man Behind Germany's Legendary Scharzhofberger Rieslings – One of Australia's Most Fascinating Wine Collaborations!

2013 Kanta by Egon Müller Riesling

Adelaide Hills, South Australia

RRP $35

What happens when arguably the world's most famous Riesling winemaker travels halfway around the world to make wine in the Adelaide Hills?

You get KANTA!

And what an extraordinary story this is.

The man behind this wine is Egon Müller IV.

Yes, that Egon Müller.

The man responsible for some of the most celebrated, collectible and expensive Rieslings on the planet.

His family's Scharzhofberger wines from Germany's Saar Valley are legendary.

The finest examples are among the most sought-after white wines anywhere in the world.

And yet here we have a Riesling made under his direction from a vineyard in South Australia's Adelaide Hills.

The 2013 vintage.

Now 13 years old.

And look at the scores!

93 POINTS – THE WINE FRONT!

92 POINTS – VINOUS!

At an RRP of just $35, the pedigree is extraordinary.

This is not simply another Australian Riesling.

It's an opportunity to explore what happens when German Riesling expertise meets Australian fruit.

And that's exactly the sort of wine discovery I love sharing at Liquid Vibe!

Egon Müller – One of the Greatest Riesling Winemakers in the World

If you're passionate about Riesling, the name Egon Müller needs very little introduction.

The Müller family has been associated with the legendary Scharzhof estate in Germany's Saar Valley since 1797.

The estate's most famous vineyard is Scharzhofberg.

And its Rieslings have become some of the most revered white wines in the world.

Why?

Because the finest wines possess an almost impossible combination of qualities.

Extraordinary aromatic purity.

Remarkable concentration.

Delicate texture.

Beautiful acidity.

And an ability to age for decades.

Some of the estate's rare Trockenbeerenauslese wines command extraordinary prices at auction.

But what's particularly fascinating about Egon Müller is his understanding of balance.

His wines aren't simply about sweetness.

Or acidity.

Or concentration.

They're about harmony.

And that philosophy is central to the Kanta project.

How Did Egon Müller End Up Making Riesling in Adelaide?

Here's where the story becomes particularly interesting.

Kanta began through a friendship and business partnership between Egon Müller and Adelaide wine merchant Michael Andrewartha, with Akos Forczek also involved in the venture.

The idea was ambitious.

Could one of Germany's greatest Riesling winemakers produce an Australian Riesling that reflected his philosophy while retaining a distinctly Australian identity?

Egon travelled to Australia to investigate.

He explored potential vineyard sites.

Including the Clare Valley and Tasmania.

But ultimately, the Adelaide Hills captured his attention.

He wanted somewhere cool enough to preserve natural acidity and allow Riesling to ripen slowly.

The project began with the 2005 vintage.

And Kanta was born.

The name is derived from Sanskrit, with meanings associated with beauty, love and desire.

An appropriate name for a wine with such an extraordinary story.

The Argyle Vineyard – More Than 400 Metres Above Sea Level

The early Kanta vintages came from a vineyard near Balhannah.

But the project later moved to the Argyle Vineyard near Echunga, in the Adelaide Hills.

The vineyard sits at an elevation of more than 400 metres.

And here's what makes that important.

Altitude contributes to the cool growing conditions Egon Müller was searching for.

The grapes can develop flavour while retaining the natural acidity essential to great Riesling.

The site also has an extraordinary history.

Its original agricultural plantings date back to the nineteenth century, although the vineyard was substantially rejuvenated in 1999.

The soils contain traces of ironstone.

And the combination of elevation, soil structure and cool-climate conditions creates a fascinating environment for Riesling.

German winemaking philosophy. Australian vineyard character.

That's the essence of Kanta.

Here's Something Most People Don't Know – Egon Müller Discovered Australian Riesling Grapes Have Thicker Skins

This is one of the most fascinating aspects of the entire project.

Egon Müller observed that Australian Riesling grapes could develop thicker skins than those he was accustomed to working with in Germany.

And he believed those skins contained valuable flavour and aromatic compounds.

So rather than simply pressing the fruit immediately, the Kanta team explored extended skin contact.

The idea was to extract additional flavour and texture without sacrificing freshness.

In some vintages, the crushed grapes spent up to approximately 16 hours in contact with their skins before fermentation.

That's a fascinating technique.

And one that helps explain why Kanta Riesling can have a distinctive combination of aromatic intensity, texture and mineral structure.

The wine was also made with indigenous yeasts and extended lees contact.

The aim wasn't to copy German Riesling.

It was to take the principles behind great German Riesling and apply them to an Australian vineyard.

And that's what makes Kanta so compelling.

The 2013 Vintage – A Mature Riesling with Real Personality

The 2013 Kanta Riesling is now 13 years old.

And that changes the drinking experience considerably.

Young Riesling can be dominated by fresh lime, lemon, green apple and floral aromatics.

But with bottle age, the personality can become much more complex.

The fruit begins to evolve.

Honeyed characters may develop.

Toasted and nutty notes can emerge.

And the texture becomes increasingly interesting.

The 2013 Kanta was produced from the Argyle Vineyard near Echunga.

Its technical information records:

100% Riesling.

Indigenous yeast fermentation.

13.4% alcohol.

Production of approximately 4,200 bottles.

That's a relatively small production wine.

And the fact that bottles are still available from the 2013 vintage makes this an intriguing opportunity for lovers of mature Riesling.

Tasting Notes – Honeycomb, Beeswax, Lime Marmalade and Beautiful Mature Complexity

This is where the 2013 Kanta becomes particularly interesting.

The published vintage profile describes a fascinating combination of mature and fresh Riesling characters.

Expect:

Lime zest
Lime marmalade
Green apple
Honeycomb
Beeswax
Delicate citrus peel
Subtle savoury complexity
Gentle mineral notes

The palate has a distinctive texture.

There's richness from the developed fruit characters.

But also a line of acidity that gives the wine freshness and definition.

The honeycomb and beeswax notes are particularly appealing.

These are the sorts of characters that make mature Riesling such a fascinating drinking experience.

And the lime marmalade character adds another dimension.

Lime. Honeycomb. Beeswax. Green apple. Citrus marmalade. Beautiful mature texture.

This is not the same experience as opening a brand-new vintage.

It's an opportunity to explore how Riesling develops over time.

Of course, with a wine of this age, bottle condition and storage history are especially important.

Well-stored bottles can offer a wonderful mature drinking experience.

93 Points – The Wine Front

The 2013 Kanta Riesling received:

93 POINTS – THE WINE FRONT!

The Wine Front reviewed the wine in December 2014, when it was still relatively young.

The review recorded a drinking window of 2014–2020.

That doesn't automatically mean the wine is past its best today.

But it does mean this should be approached as a mature Riesling rather than a young wine intended for long-term cellaring.

92 Points – Vinous

The 2013 Kanta also received:

92 POINTS – VINOUS!

Another excellent endorsement for this fascinating German-Australian collaboration.

Together, the reviews demonstrate the quality of the original release.

But what makes the wine particularly interesting today is its maturity.

At 13 years old, the bottle offers a very different perspective from the one the critics experienced when the wine was young.

Why Kanta Is So Different from Traditional Australian Riesling

Australian Riesling is famous for its purity and freshness.

Think about the great wines of Clare Valley and Eden Valley.

Beautiful lime.

Lemon.

Floral aromatics.

Precise acidity.

And remarkable longevity.

But Kanta takes a somewhat different approach.

Egon Müller brings a philosophy shaped by the Saar Valley.

Texture matters.

Aromatic complexity matters.

The relationship between fruit concentration and acidity matters.

And the way the wine develops with age is particularly important.

The result is a Riesling that combines Australian fruit with a distinctive European sensibility.

It's not German Riesling.

And it's not a conventional Australian Riesling.

It's Kanta.

And that's why it's so fascinating.

One of Australia's Most Remarkable Wine Collaborations

There have been some extraordinary international collaborations in Australian wine.

But few are quite as fascinating as Kanta.

One of the world's most celebrated Riesling winemakers.

An Adelaide wine merchant.

A cool-climate vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.

And a shared ambition to make something different.

What I particularly admire is that Egon Müller didn't simply lend his name to the project.

He became involved in the vineyard and winemaking decisions.

He travelled to Australia for harvest.

And he applied his understanding of Riesling to a very different environment.

That's what makes this wine special.

It's a genuine collaboration.

Not simply a famous name on a label.

How I'd Drink the 2013 Kanta Today

At 13 years of age, I'd be drinking this wine now rather than planning another decade in the cellar.

And I'd treat it with the respect mature Riesling deserves.

Serve it cool, but not freezing cold.

Around 10–12°C is a good starting point.

Use a proper white wine glass.

And allow the wine to evolve as it warms slightly.

You may find the honeyed and savoury characters become more expressive with air.

I'd also avoid excessive decanting until you've assessed the bottle.

With mature wine, condition matters.

And each bottle can develop a little differently.

Food Pairings

Mature Riesling can be magnificent with food.

I'd recommend:

Roast pork with apple
Crispy pork belly
Roast chicken
Duck with citrus glaze
Smoked trout
Grilled barramundi
Mushroom dishes
Aged Comté
Mildly spiced Asian dishes

Personally, I'd love this with roast pork, crackling and apple sauce.

The wine's mature honeyed character would complement the richness beautifully, while its acidity would keep everything fresh.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because this is exactly what makes wine so fascinating.

An extraordinary international collaboration.

One of the world's greatest Riesling winemakers.

A remarkable Adelaide Hills vineyard.

An unusual approach to Australian Riesling.

And a wine that has now had 13 years to develop in bottle.

Look at what you're getting.

2013 Kanta by Egon Müller Riesling

Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Winemaker – Egon Müller IV

Collaboration with Michael Andrewartha

Argyle Vineyard, Echunga

More Than 400 Metres Above Sea Level

Indigenous Yeast Fermentation

Approximately 4,200 Bottles Produced

13.4% Alcohol

93 Points – The Wine Front

92 Points – Vinous

13 Years of Bottle Age

RRP $35

This is a fascinating wine.

Not simply because of the famous name.

But because it offers an opportunity to experience a genuinely different interpretation of Australian Riesling.

And at an RRP of $35, the story and pedigree are remarkable.