2025 Rieslingfreak No. 5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling

95 pts
Perfectly balanced off-dry Riesling from the passionate and highly-skilled John Hughes.

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Sale price$24.00
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Description

Few off-dry styles in Australia are executed with the precision and drinkability of this Rieslingfreak gem.

The 2025 No. 5 comes from the family’s White Hutt vineyard in the Clare Valley, where grey clay over limestone soils and east-west plantings delivered fruit of striking elegance and juicy natural acidity. A challenging vintage, defined by heat, drought, and frost, has give John and Belinda Hughes a wine with bold flavours and thrilling acidity - perfectly suited to this more ‘Germanic’ expression of the Clare Valley.

The nose is beautiful on release, with aromas of red apple, sweet orange, mandarin, almond blossom, and peony. On the palate, juicy apple and nectarine are lifted by sherbet-like acidity. The natural sweetness adds richness to the mid-palate, while crisp acidity drives a clean, linear finish.

A superb match for spicy dishes, or simply delicious on its own.

95 points
"Very stylish young, half-dry riesling which will have a brilliant future."
- Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

95 points - "Aromas of freshly rolled pastry, with hints of fresh cut green herbs and lime zest; the wine is super-intense, fresh and bright in the mouth with green-apple fruit an off-dry level of sweetness, which is cleaned up by acidity on the finish. Very stylish young, half-dry riesling which will have a brilliant future." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

93 points - "An off-dry style. This is well made; it marries attractive, juicy sweetness with a crackle of limey acidity and briny minerality. There's good perfume, bright, sweet citrus fruit flavours, a lick of honey, a crunch of flint and talc. Beautiful drink, simple, done so very well. Such a pleasing, easy-access wine, and a wonderful and exuberant expression of the style." - Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

Customer Reviews

Harvested from the family vineyard in White Hutt, north of Clare township. Grey clay over limestone soils, east/west vine orientation.

Aromas of red apple, sweet orange, mandarin, almond blossom and peonies. The palate delivers sweet apple and nectarine balanced by sherbet-like acidity. The natural sweetness adds richness while acidity brings linearity and length with a crisp finish.

Alc: 9.9% | Residual Sugar: 15.3g/L | pH: 2.60 | TA: 9.8g/L

Price Bracket $30 or Less
Type White
Body Light Bodied
Variety Riesling
Variety Style ["Off-Dry Riesling"]
Country Australia
Region Clare Valley
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Real Review
Critic Score 95
Size 750ml
Vintage 2025
Closure Screw Cap

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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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.

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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 — 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.

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