Mount Edward's Pisa Terrace Riesling comes from an elevated, free-draining site on the terraces above Wanaka Road, in the Pisa sub-region of Central Otago. Mount Edward makes this Riesling off-dry, in the citrus-driven, textural house style the label is known for, using minimal intervention in the winery. It's a wine for someone who wants a serious, food-friendly white rather than something sweet.
Most people who ask us for Riesling are picturing something with sugar in it. Mount Edward's is built on citrus and texture rather than sweetness, made by a winery that has been doing this in Central Otago since 1997.
This is a good pour for someone who already drinks dry white Burgundy or a serious Chablis and hasn't tried what Central Otago does with Riesling. It's a wine for the table or the aperitif hour, and it rewards a bit of thought about what you're eating alongside it.
What it tastes like
Mount Edward makes this Riesling in a consistently off-dry, citrus-driven style across vintages: lemon, lime and grapefruit character with real textural weight underneath, running to a clean finish rather than any sweetness. It's built with acidity and texture as the backbone, not just fruit sweetness, which is the house style across the range rather than something specific to any one year.
Whole bunch pressing and a wild-yeast ferment with no temperature control are part of how Mount Edward gets that texture - a slower, less controlled fermentation gives the wine more to it than a clean, fast, cool ferment would.
Style at a glance
- Body: Medium
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity: High, the wine's backbone
- Oak: None - fermented and aged in stainless steel
- Style: Textural, minimal-intervention, dry Central Otago Riesling
Food
Off-dry Riesling this textural wants food with some richness or spice to push against: pan-fried snapper with lemon butter, a Thai green curry, roast pork with apple, fresh oysters, or a soft, washed-rind cheese. Worth trying against a plate of char-grilled asparagus and hollandaise, where the acidity and the citrus have real work to do.
Who makes it
Mount Edward was founded in 1997 by Alan Brady, one of the pioneers of Gibbston Valley winemaking and a name behind several of Central Otago's early wineries. Duncan Forsyth and John Buchanan took over in 2004 and turned the focus to small-batch, single-vineyard wines, which is still the winery's approach today. Mount Edward farms its estate vineyards under Bio Gro certified organic status, and the winery leans toward minimal intervention throughout: little fining, little filtration, and as few additions as the wine will allow. Riesling has been part of the range since the beginning, alongside the Pinot Noir the winery is best known for.
When to drink it
Mount Edward hasn't published a drinking window for this vintage. Off-dry Central Otago Riesling is well known for ageing gracefully, often for a decade or more, developing honeyed, toasty complexity while keeping its acid backbone. It's drinking well now if you want the fresh, citrus side of it, or lay a bottle down and enjoy the benefits of several years in the cellar.
Technical details
| Winery |
Mount Edward |
| Wine |
Pisa Terrace Riesling |
| Vintage |
2026 |
| Variety |
100% Riesling |
| Vineyard |
Pisa Terrace, Pisa, Central Otago |
| Region |
Central Otago |
| Country |
New Zealand |
| Certification |
Bio Gro certified organic |
| Fermentation |
Whole bunch pressed, wild-yeast ferment in stainless steel, no temperature control |
| Oak |
None |
| Serving temperature |
Best served chilled, around 8-10°C |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling 2026 is available via our winenz.com website. For delivery in New Zealand you can purchase from thewineryonline.co.nz. If you are visiting New Zealand, you can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine.
Questions we are often asked
Is Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling sweet or dry?
Off-dry. Mount Edward makes this in a citrus-driven style, with texture and acidity carrying the wine with just a hint of residual sweetness.
Where does Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling come from?
The Pisa Terrace vineyard, on elevated, free-draining ground above Wanaka Road in the Pisa sub-region of Central Otago.
Is Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling organic?
Yes. Mount Edward farms its estate vineyards, including Pisa Terrace, under Bio Gro certified organic status.
What food goes with Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling?
Something with a bit of richness or spice: pan-fried snapper with lemon butter, a Thai green curry, roast pork with apple, fresh oysters, or a soft washed-rind cheese.
How is Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling made?
Whole bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast in stainless steel, with no temperature control - part of Mount Edward's minimal-intervention approach across its range.
Where can I buy Mount Edward Pisa Terrace Riesling 2026?
The Winery ships Mount Edward Pisa Terrace 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. It is also available in our Queenstown and Arrowtown stores.
