Rieslingfreak No 2 Polish Hill River Riesling 2025
The bouquet is highly perfumed with aromas of fresh green apple, jasmine, and pomelo, with a hints of passionflower and fresh lime juice. The palate is crisp yet silky-soft, with a fine, talc-like minerality imparting a pleasing slipperiness to the texture in the mouth. The bright flavours of Granny Smith apple and yuzu run a fine line between sweet and tart, while the elegant and complex palate is punctuated with an electric line of acidity, imparting exceptional length and a clean, crisp finish.
“This is classic Clare Valley from one of the region’s longstanding culty producers. There’s a hint of lamp oil reduction mingled with pithy lemon-lime and lavender. Dry with a big lift of bright, lemony acidity, pithy texture, there’s mouthwatering appeal straight from first sip, with clear ability to evolve over several decades.”
94 Points – The Wine Enthusiast
The lead-up to the 2025 vintage was exceptionally dry, with 2024 marking one of the driest and warmest years on record in South Australia. Expectations for a generous crop changed dramatically in late September when a severe frost swept through the Clare and Eden Valleys. Polish Hill River was particularly affected, with yields in the Jaeschke vineyard reduced by more than 70%. Fortunately, a secondary budburst produced a smaller crop of concentrated, high-quality fruit.
Warm, dry conditions continued through summer, bringing harvest forward across South Australia. Rieslingfreak began picking on February 10, with all fruit received at the winery by the end of the month. Despite the challenging season, the fruit retained excellent flavour intensity and naturally high acidity.
Fruit for the No. 2 was sourced from the Jaeschke family vineyard in Polish Hill River. Following harvest, the fruit was whole-bunch pressed with no skin contact and handled minimally throughout the winemaking process to preserve purity and regional character. The resulting wine is exceptionally dry, precise and mineral-driven, with vibrant natural acidity.
