On a cool night at Chairman and Yip's new Barton home, a riesling from France's Alsace region provided an interesting contrast to Australian styles. At five years, the cork-sealed wine showed the deep gold colour of bottle age, but was otherwise fresh and lively with no sign of oxidation or cork taint. Typical of Alsace riesling, the wine's distinctive, strong, ripe flavour came on a richly textured, slightly viscous palate with a firm, dry bite to the finish. It's a unique and enjoyable style, suited to the Chairman's richer dishes, but a little strong for the more delicate ones.