This wine comes from the East Block of Mt Maude Vineyard in Wanaka, Central Otago, and the East Block Riesling won the Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy at the 2022 National Wine Awards of Aotearoa. It is off-dry, with apple sorbet, lime leaf and grapefruit peel, and a good match for spicy food.
In the glass expect granny smith apples, lime sherbet and exotic fruit on the bouquet. The palate is voluptuous and packed with flavour, and it finishes crisp and lingering.
It is a good choice for anyone who likes Riesling with a little sweetness and plenty of freshness.
Only 2,199 bottles of the 2026 were made.
What it tastes like
This wine has a sweet-and-sharp balance. The 51 g/L of residual sugar (the sugar left after fermentation) is held up by 9.3 g/L of acidity, so the wine tastes bright rather than heavy.
At 9.0% alcohol it is also a light wine to pour. Give the glass a swirl and the aromas open out.
Style at a glance
- Sweetness: Off-dry, with 51 g/L of residual sugar
- Acidity: Fresh and high, at 9.3 g/L
- Alcohol: Light, at 9.0%
- Style: Off-dry, crisp, fruit-forward
Food to enjoy this with
- Thai green curry
- Vietnamese rice paper rolls with fresh herbs
- Chicken satay
- Prawns with chilli and lime
- Pork belly with roast apple
- Blue cheese with a drizzle of honey, because the sweetness and acidity answer the salt
Who makes it
Maude is a family winery in Wanaka. Dawn and Dr Terry Wilson planted Mt Maude Vineyard in 1994, one of the first 10 vineyards planted in Central Otago, and their daughter Sarah-Kate and her husband Dan Dineen launched Maude.
The vineyard sits at 360 metres in the Maungawera Valley and is dry-farmed. Maude says the East Block's eastern exposure ripens the fruit earlier and gives a more fruit-forward wine, in the green apple and orange blossom spectrum, which suits a sweeter, lower-alcohol style of Riesling.
The East Block Riesling won the Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy at the 2022 National Wine Awards of Aotearoa, an award that recognises the style, quality and consistency of a wine across a decade.
For the 2026 vintage, the grapes were harvested on 30 April and the wine was bottled on 21 July 2026.
About the vintage
In NZ Winegrower, Sophie Preece reported a Central Otago season with a dry winter, a wet spring and strong winds, and harvest running 7 to 10 days behind typical.
Viticulturist James Dicey said that in years like this, "we tend to end up with a little bit more focus and concentration and density in our wines."
Technical details
| Winery: |
Maude |
| Wine: |
Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 |
| Vintage: |
2026 |
| Variety: |
Riesling |
| Vineyard: |
Mt Maude Vineyard, East Block |
| Region: |
Wanaka, Central Otago |
| Country: |
New Zealand |
| Harvest date: |
30 April 2026 |
| Alcohol: |
9.0% |
| Residual sugar: |
51 g/L |
| pH: |
2.86 |
| Acidity: |
9.3 g/L |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 is available from our winenz.com website. For delivery within New Zealand, buy it from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. On both websites and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines, and if you are visiting from overseas, we can ship it home for you.
Questions we are often asked
Is Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 sweet or dry?
Maude describes it as off-dry. It has 51 g/L of residual sugar, balanced by 9.3 g/L of acidity.
Where does Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 come from?
It comes from the East Block of Mt Maude Vineyard in Wanaka, Central Otago. The vines were planted in 1994.
What does Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 taste like?
Maude describes apple sorbet, lime leaf and grapefruit peel, with granny smith apples, lime sherbet and exotic fruit on the bouquet. It finishes crisp and lingering.
How much alcohol does Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 have?
The alcohol is 9.0%, which makes it a lighter style of Riesling.
How many bottles of Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 were made?
2,199 bottles were bottled in July 2026.
Where can I buy Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026?
The Winery ships Maude Reserve East Block Riesling 2026 internationally from winenz.com to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, and delivers within New Zealand from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
