Villa Maria's 2009 Reserve Riesling certainly has more complexity on the nose than the regular bottling, although one has to eke out the scents of lime, citrus lemon, passion fruit and dried lychee. The palate is well balanced with good acidity. Though not a complex Riesling, it certainly is fresh and generous with white peach and apple-blossom towards the clean finish. Drink now-2013. The clement weather during the 2009 vintage meant that Villa Maria's winemaking team faced a 20% above average crop. Bearing in mind the pitfalls of over-production in 2008, strict yield controls were imposed on each winery, with many lopping off a whole cane. Villa Maria continues to produce a strong diverse portfolio that embraces entry-level varietals to limited bottlings of single vineyards. As mentioned in previous reports their Pinot Noirs remain their Achilles heel in an otherwise impressive, diverse range. In particular, I feel that their Syrah are really coming into their own. I have included wines from Vidal and Esk Valley that are under the same umbrella, but treated separately. Importer: Ste Michelle Wine Estates, Woodinville, WA; tel. (800) 267-6793