Description
A producer with a single-minded varietal focus is a rarity in Australian wine, John Hughes is one of those rarities.
Try his wonderful Rieslings in this pack!
- 2026 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
- 2026 Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley Riesling
- 2026 Rieslingfreak No. 4 Eden Valley Riesling
- 2026 Rieslingfreak No. 5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling
- 2025 Rieslingfreak No. 11 Mosaik Eden Valley Riesling
- 2026 Rieslingfreak No.12 Flaxman Valley Riesling
2026 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
Sourced from a single block in the celebrated Polish Hill River subregion, this is elite Australian Riesling at its most precise and pure.
The 2026 No. 2 comes from the Jaeschke family vineyard, planted on grey-brown loam over sandy limestone and shale - a site John and Belinda Hughes consider among their very best. The vines narrowly escaped the worst of a November frost that devastated much of the Polish Hill River subregion, before nature threw everything else at them: drought, then a deluge of flooding rain right on the cusp of harvest. What's made it into the bottle is a wine of real richness and elegance in equal measure.
This is the most intellectual wine in the range - chalky and finely chiseled, with real bones to it. There's a perfumed lift of pear and gardenia on the nose that opens out into something more citrusy and tropical the longer it sits in the glass, and the palate carries that fine, talc-like minerality Polish Hill is known for, weaving bright orchard fruit through a warmer, spiced richness underneath. It's still a touch coiled and nervy on release, but there's real purity there, carried by an electric thread of acidity that just keeps going.
This is the most tightly wound wine in the range on release - built for the cellar, but already showing the purity that makes Polish Hill River Riesling so collectable. Give it 6-12 months in bottle and watch it unfurl.
2026 Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley Riesling
The Rieslingfreak No. 3 is John Hughes' outstanding value Clare Valley Riesling.
The Clare Valley is John's home, and this wine hails from the family vineyard at White Hutt, grown on heavy, nutrient-rich red clay that gives the No. 3 its trademark generosity. It was the first fruit off the vine this vintage, picked in early March before the summer drought broke in dramatic fashion - almost 90mm of rain in 48 hours.
This one's all generosity and juice - the kind of Riesling that's dangerously easy to drink from the moment it's poured. There's a seductive lift of lemon and ripe stonefruit on the nose, and the palate just rolls with it, bright citrus up front softening into something more tropical through the middle, all held together by a tight line of acidity that keeps it fresh rather than sweet. Plush and round without ever feeling heavy.
These age beautifully, but honestly, this is a bottle for drinking right now - it's juicier and more approachable out of the gate than recent vintages. An absolute bargain and a must-have for lovers of Australian Riesling.
2026 Rieslingfreak No. 4 Eden Valley Riesling
John Hughes' deep love of Riesling shines through once again in this superb Eden Valley release.
The 2026 No. 4 is sourced from selected vineyards across the southern ranges of Eden Valley, blending the elegance and acid drive of the High Eden subregion of Flaxman Valley with the intense flavour and rich aromatics of vineyards around Angaston and Springton. Like the rest of the range, this fruit weathered a testing vintage - a November frost, an extended dry stretch through summer, then a heavy rain event that pushed harvest back further still - and has come through with real purity and structure intact.
Where the No. 3 is all citrus and orchard fruit, this one leans floral and perfumed - there's a real lift of jasmine and rosewater on the nose, plus that classic Eden Valley scent of rain hitting warm slate. On the palate it's punchier and more tropical, with a fine mineral backbone running underneath, and the vintage's signature tightly wound acidity drawing everything out to a long, crisp finish. Elegant but not shy - it's got real drive to it.
Another deadset bargain for any Riesling lover from John & Belinda Hughes.
2026 Rieslingfreak No. 5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling
Few off-dry styles in Australia are executed with the precision and drinkability of this Rieslingfreak gem.
The 2026 No. 5 comes from a different block of the family's White Hutt vineyard to the No. 3 - grey clay over limestone, planted east-west, which retains the natural acidity needed to carry real sweetness with poise. It's John and Belinda's entry point into off dry Riesling, and this vintage's mix of elegance, generous flavour and electric acidity has made for a beautifully balanced wine.
This is where the range gets a little playful. The nose is all ripe orchard fruit and honeysuckle, and the palate delivers exactly what it promises - a lovely fruit-tingle sweetness up front, like biting into a ripe nectarine, kept honest by a tingly, sherbet-like acidity running right through the middle. It finishes surprisingly dry and chalky for something with this much sweetness up front - that push and pull between sugar and acid is really the whole point of this wine, and this vintage has nailed the balance.
A superb match for spicy dishes, or simply delicious on its own.
2025 Rieslingfreak No. 11 Mosaik Eden Valley Riesling
John Hughes has a knack for pushing Riesling into fresh, exciting territory and his No. 11 "Mosaik" proves it once again.
This release comes from the esteemed Lienert vineyard in Flaxman Valley, fermented wild and aged for a year on lees across three French oak barrels - roughly 70% seasoned oak, with one new French oak puncheon in the mix for extra spice and structure. It's Eden Valley purity with a twist: a Riesling that's layered, textural and seriously delicious.
It smells like walking past a bakery - honeycomb, peach nectar and warm spice, with fresh pastry and a hint of saffron. The palate is where it really shows its personality: decadent and creamy, with a supple, textural grip that gives way to rich, almost marmalade-like fruit and a savoury edge of spicy oak. A big, generous mouthful of a wine, but crisp acidity keeps it honest right through to a long finish.
Started as one of Belinda Hughes' experiments a few years back, this remains a genuine point of difference in the range and is still knitting that new oak together - expect it to be singing by Christmas. Beautiful right now alongside roast chicken or a creamy pasta, or simply poured on its own. This cuvee is exclusive to Different Drop so you won't find it anywhere else.
2026 Rieslingfreak No.12 Flaxman Valley Riesling
Originally created to mark John Hughes being named Barossa's Winemaker of the Year, the No. 12 has quickly become one of the standouts in the Rieslingfreak line-up - a beautiful expression of High Eden Riesling.
Sourced from three small family-owned vineyards in Flaxman Valley, this is the first vintage where the No. 12 is an equal blend of all three sites, showing off the unique character each one brings to the wine. Like the rest of the range, this fruit came through a vintage of frost, drought and late, heavy rain to arrive at harvest in pristine condition.
This is Flaxman Valley at its most exotic - there's a gorgeous, almost tropical perfume of kaffir lime and rose petal, grounded by that earthy, wet-slate minerality the site is known for. The palate is ultra-refined and delicate, slick and satiny in texture, with a citrusy zip balanced by a steely, flinty edge underneath. Manages to be delicate and driving at the same time, finishing long and laser-focused.
Fresh, focused and outrageously good value - this is one of the best wines of the vintage this year.
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