2025 Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling

96 pts NICK RYAN TOP 100
Powerhouse Riesling from a Clare ValleyΒ stalwart.

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Sale price$53.00
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Description

The Pikes Merle is one of the finest Rieslings in the country.

This wine is made exclusively from fruit grown on the Pikes estate. It is renowned as a flagbearer for the Clare Valley style. It's intensity and exceptional power are the Merle's defining features.

One of the small handful of truly iconic Australian Rieslings, and with huge reviews each and every year, it's right up the top of the Aussie Riesling tree.

Drink now or cellar with confidence.

96 points
"Merle has always been one of the most compelling translations of this celebrated terroir and this latest release is Pikes is peak form."
- Nick Ryan (Top 100 Wines of 2025)

96 points - "Top 100 Wines of 2025 There’s nowhere to hide in Polish Hill River. This is place where topsoil is measured by bee bits, and vine roots hit ancient slate before the first trellising wire. It’s tough country and riesling loves it. Merle has always been one of the most compelling translations of this celebrated terroir and this latest release is Pikes is peak form. Lime leaf and lemongrass drive it, some jasmine and citrus blossom sit atop, and it powers through the finish with a sparkling minerality that is pure Polish Hill." - Nick Ryan (The Weekend Australian)

95 points - "The palest green hue here. Light and fine, racy and crisp. A lemon-lime cavalcade with pickled gingery spice, red apple crunch and juiciness, a tingly line of briny acidity, blackcurrant leaf, and just a touch of eucalyptus drop here, too. Glassy texture. Compact and linear, taut and fine boned, a sense of restraint and future potential writ large. An impressive wine." - Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

Named after family matriarch, 'The Merle' is selected from the best parcels of Riesling from our Polish Hill River Estate. We are aiming for the purest expression of Polish Hill Riesling for this wine.

Winemaking

Our winemaking approach is designed to capture the flavour of each individual site with minimal winemaking influence. The Merle represents the pinnacle of Riesling at Pikes, showing concentration, sense of place and purity.

Colour

Brilliant pale straw with green hues.

Aroma

Refined and delicate aromas of freshly cut lime, citrus blossom. There are some mineral notes that speak to origin of the wine. complex aromas of carraway seed add to the mix.

Palate

Mouth watering from the start, a highly concentrated mix of sweet lime, bright acid and talcy texture. A long dry finish completes the experience.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type White
Body Light Bodied
Variety Riesling
Country Australia
Region Clare Valley
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Reviewed By The Weekend Australian
Critic Score 96
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

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Common Questions

Delivery is free on orders of $199 or more.

For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.

We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.

Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.

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We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.

To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you.Β 

If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.

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No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.

No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.

Most wine retailers list at a single-bottle price and then discount 10–15% when you buy six or twelve. We've taken the opposite approach. Since the overwhelming majority of our orders are already 6 bottles or more, our list price is set for the case buyer from the start. There's no inflated single-bottle price to discount down from.

What that means for you:

- One price, same for everyone β€” no minimum to hit to unlock the best rate
- No mixed-six gymnastics to qualify for a discount
- Our single-bottle price is typically at or below a traditional retailer's by-the-dozen rate

Put simply: the box discount is already baked into the price.

**And if you find it cheaper elsewhere?** Let us know. If the same wine is available at a lower price at another retailer (including at their mixed-six or by-the-dozen rate) we're happy to match it.

If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.

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