97 points & Top 100 Australian Wines of 2025 - "The nose is complex, mineral and elegant with aromas of lemon rind, candied lime zest, apple blossom, slate, grapefruit and Asian pear. The palate is tightly wound with a real generosity giving a medium-bodied mouthfeel underneath the racy acidity and long lasting notes of green apple, mandarin zest, sea salt and nectarine. Nicely crafted with a years ahead in bottle. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - Ryan Montgomery (James Suckling

96 points - "Rarely does such a youthful Riesling come to the glass with this high level of class and complexity. A lovely melding of the aromatic, the citrus and the apple fruited is here together with a charming spiciness and mouth-wateringly bright acidity. Crab apple, red Delicious apple, lime zest, lemon, citrus, spice, white pepper and ginger mix and play with a lovely delicate fragrance of jasmine. Acidity is always an integral part of Isolation Ridge Riesling, bringing both tension and a filigree fine basis for a palate that shines in 2024 with a little more spice, a little more piquancy than usual, and a seemingly less obvious touch of savouriness. It’s a beautiful wine, unforced, naturally in balance, fragrant, enticing and long in flavour. History dictates it will age a treat, but then one taste now also tells you it is ready to go . . . your choice." - Jeni Port (Wine Pilot)

96 points - "On completion of my first sip, I leant back, crossed my arms, tilted my head, and let out a wry smile—soft and relaxed, like a resting hammock. As always, this wine kills. Leaning further toward savoury characters than the ’23 vintage, I enjoyed the punchy floral prettiness and overall intensity. A bouquet of white peach, tangerine peel, green mango and lime. One of the many parcels sees oak (5% of the total makeup), and the wine spends eight months on lees before bottling—building a slatey texture and complementing the tight framed, puckering acid. Pith, chalk, pressed lavender and mandarin—it’s a fruit salad breakfast in the Mentawai Islands. This is one of Australia’s best-value wines, and once again, Frankland Estate is pushing boundaries in the vineyard and the industry—redefining what Australian Riesling can look like—and they’re doing it from WA. This wine doesn’t need food, but an autumn nectarine salad and poached chicken would pair nicely." - Cyndal Petty (Wine Pilot)

95 points - "Lime, apple, jasmine tea, something a bit stony and saline too. It has flavour and texture, and while it’s maybe a little less racy in acidity than some releases, it’s still beautifully balanced, and I kind of like the softness and inherent drinkability that comes with that. There’s a little chalky grip, and the finish is juicy, perfumed and long with just a little grapefruit pith bite. It’s distinctive and delightful. Yum." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

95 points - "The 2024 Isolation Ridge Riesling is superb. The nose is littered with talcy florals, wet chalk, scratched lime zest, orange oil, white pepper and freshly mown fennel. In the mouth, the acidity spears across the palate—like a javelin slicing through the wind, it sails with purpose and direction through the long finish. This is precise, focused, powerful and even strident. It's excellent. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

95 points - "A very exciting dry riesling with a nose of chamomile, yellow grapefruit, lemon blossoms and fresh garden herbs. Great concentration and textural complexity. The interplay of the fine tannins and pronounced stony minerality with the creaminess from maturation on the lees is beautiful. The touch of grapefruit-pith bitterness accentuates the drive in the long, positively austere finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink from release. Screw cap." - Stuart Pigott (JamesSuckling.com)

Tasting Note
This Riesling opens with aromas of white citrus blossom, wet stone, and smoky talc, lifted over an expansive array of fruits: red apple, Corella pear, lemon, kaffir lime, tangerine, grapefruit, and nectarine. The entry is zesty and tight, with a wash of pure fruit energized by bracing citrus juices and a subtle touch of lemongrass.

On the palate, it exhibits crystalline juiciness and a precise saline bead of acidity. There's an edgy purity to the medium-bodied structure, followed by a stony, arrow-like length with deceptive power and fine texture. Notes of skinsy-like bitterness, tonic, lime, mandarin, and a sprig of herb highlight the long, complex finish.

With its restrained power and coiled tension, this wine has the structure and acidity to age gracefully for at least 15 years.

2024 Vintage
The 2024 growing season was defined by dry, warm conditions from spring through harvest. After good winter rainfall, the skies cleared early, resulting in a dry season with warmer-than-average weeks in late January and early February. Harvest was brought forward by several weeks, yielding a small crop of exceptional intensity. Fruit was harvested in the cool early mornings between 16th February and 1st March.

Vineyard
This wine is made from 100% Riesling grown at Frankland Estate’s Isolation Ridge Vineyard, located 256 meters above sea level. Planted in 1988, the vines sit on undulating northern and eastern slopes with duplex soils of ironstone gravel over clay.

The vineyard incorporates several trellis systems and two distinct Riesling clones: the Geisenheim clone and Houghton’s WA heritage clone. Fruit was sourced from the Olive, Pole, and Outback blocks, with cool nights and slow ripening typical of Frankland River contributing to the variety’s hallmark vibrant acidity and flavour depth.

Vinification
Fermentation occurred in small stainless-steel vessels, with an increasing emphasis on spontaneous fermentation and select barrel fermentation (many parcels not exceeding 1,000L). Around 5% of the wine was matured in barrel, sourced from the Outback and North Pole blocks, to accentuate the subtle flinty, ironstone-driven notes and add textural complexity.

Grapes are now picked slightly riper than a decade ago, resulting in a "resolved" acid profile that melts seamlessly into the wine. These numerous small ferments, using diverse yeasts and vessels, build intricate layers and depth.

This Riesling is always intended as the benchmark expression of the Isolation Ridge site. With yields down by 25% in 2024, production was significantly limited—but quality remained uncompromising.