2024 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling

Highly Rated
Stunning single-site Clare Valley Riesling from the modern Riesling master that is John Hughes.
4.6
Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars
12 Reviews

Price:
Sale price$29.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

The Polish Hill River Riesling comes from a single block in the Polish Hill sub-region of the Clare Valley.

John & Belinda Hughes think this vineyard produces the best fruit of all of their vineyard sources. Grown in soils rich with limestone and shale, this dry Riesling is ballistically good in 2024.

There's an extra level of intensity here. That classic iron bar of acidity as a spine, the chalky crunch of a green apple, wonderful perfume and glorious purity.

This sits comfortably alongside the best wines from this famous sub-region of the Clare. This is an elite Australian Riesling which beautifully captures one of the premier sub-regions for Riesling in the whole country.

98 points
"Such a sleek, tightly bound package, with a steely focus, porcelain acidity and a pitch-perfect tubular palate shape. It's lovely saline and sapid drinking now, but this will age beautifully."
- Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points
"This vintage’s star of the Rieslingfreak sub-regional expressions shows off the distinctive mineral traces typical of Polish Hill River vineyards, which provide a sturdy backbone to rich and generous lime and lemon flavours. It opens with a seductive bouquet of fresh green apple and jasmine, before the influence of fine chalky tannins defines the shape of a curvy mid-palate that shows a long citrus core gripped with a trace of honeysuckle, with an irresistible smack of minerality at the conclusion."
- David Sly (Decanter)
96 points
"It’s otherworldly, to be perfectly honest, quite hard to describe. It’s ethereal. All I can say is this is what you’d drink at the pearly gates, if you’ve been good of course."
- Shanteh Wale (Wine Pilot)

Rieslingfreak No.2 is a dry Riesling, showcasing many of the refinements typical of the Polish Hill River. The limestone and shale rock soil profile are reflected in the wine with mineral and slate notes, green apple flavours, and underlying green citrus characters, predominantly lemons and grapefruit. Wines from this vineyard can be consumed upon release, or cellared for many years.

Region: Clare Valley, SA
Blend: Riesling (100%)
ABV:
Closure: 750ml
Bottle Size:
Production:

98 points - "Polish River-sourced fruit from two picks spaced 10 days apart. Water-white with a flash of green and fruit aromas of freshly squeezed lime juice, makrut lime and lemongrass. Hints of citrus blossom, crushed stone, celery salt, Christmas lily, green-apple sorbet and liminal notes of clover and honeysuckle. Such a sleek, tightly bound package, with a steely focus, porcelain acidity and a pitch-perfect tubular palate shape. It's lovely saline and sapid drinking now, but this will age beautifully." - Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "This vintage’s star of the Rieslingfreak sub-regional expressions shows off the distinctive mineral traces typical of Polish Hill River vineyards, which provide a sturdy backbone to rich and generous lime and lemon flavours. It opens with a seductive bouquet of fresh green apple and jasmine, before the influence of fine chalky tannins defines the shape of a curvy mid-palate that shows a long citrus core gripped with a trace of honeysuckle, with an irresistible smack of minerality at the conclusion." - David Sly (Decanter)

96 points - "The fruit was picked over two nights and ten days apart. Lemonade fruit, finger lime and starfruit. White talc, marble and immovable white stone like minerality. Clover flowers, celery heart and aloe. The wine has an almond shell creaminess and finishes with a taut sea spray salinity. It shouts of pure lime pith with a clean laser like acidity. This is shockingly focused and impeccably balanced. Fruit is amplified by savoury edges and flavours of inorganic matter. Steel wool, quartz and concrete. It’s otherworldly, to be perfectly honest, quite hard to describe. It’s ethereal. All I can say is this is what you’d drink at the pearly gates, if you’ve been good of course. Drink now and will age glacially for another 20 years. Serve with a sashimi of crystal prawns and white soy." - Shanteh Wale (Wine Pilot)

96 points - "Full RRP is $37 but I paid $29 and it’s not difficult to find this for sub $30. At that, it’s truly remarkable value. It’s grown on a single block of riesling in this famous Clare Valley sub-region. The quality of this set me back on my heels. It’s intense, penetrating and lengthy. It’s driven by lime and lime leaf, as you’d expect, but there’s also a clear influence of river stones, rind, chalk, tonic and steel. One sip and you’re convinced. This is an elite Australian riesling." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

4.6
Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars
Based on 12 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 7 Total 4 star reviews: 5 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
12 reviews
  • NB
    Neil B.
    Verified Buyer
    2 months ago
    2023 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
    Reviewing
    2023 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Riesling

    Top shelf

  • TH Profile picture for Timothy H.facebook logo
    Timothy H.
    Verified Reviewer
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    8 months ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Cork Dork
    2023 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
    Reviewing
    2023 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Special one

    Delighted by this excellent 2023 Riesling.

    Citrus, sharp flinty and dry. Lovely with quail and barramundi. Deserves every point of the high rating.

  • SD
    Sharon D.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    11 months ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2023 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
    Reviewing
    2023 Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Celebrate the 2023 Clare Valley vintage with this beauty.

    Seriously. Get some. Get loads.

Reviews LoadedReviews Added

Rieslingfreak

Rieslingfreak founder & winemaker John Hughes is quite simply making the most comprehensive, high-quality and remarkably priced range of Rieslings in the country.

Growing up in the family Riesling vineyard in Clare Valley, which John still farms today, Riesling simply runs through this man's blood. John, with the help of his talented winemaking wife Belinda, make only Riesling - not a bottle of any other variety - and they've honed their craft to a level unmatched in Australia.

They are two of the nicest people you're likely to meet, so wholeheartedly committed to their vision and craft, and we are proud to have worked so closely with them for so many years. These wines rank amongst the very best value to be found anywhere in Australia, and we give them our fullest recommendation. Enjoy!

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