Hi Riesling Freaks,
Many winemakers consider Riesling to be the finest grape of all. It is incredibly diverse yet exceptionally transparent, reflecting the terroir where it was cultivated. It is aromatic, often displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It usually has amazing ageing potential and a broad range of food-pairing opportunities. Not to mention its amazing history across the world.
For those of you that remember Gerry Smith who owned Old Bridge Cellars back in the 80's and 90's, he was affectionately known as Mr. Riesling. He loved the variety just as much as we do today. Basically, we think Riesling is GREAT! And we know many of you do too.
We have two very special announcements in this newsletter...the first is Rieslingfreak No.12 Flaxman Valley Riesling 2023 has secured 'Best Riesling of the Year in Australia' at the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards.
Secondly, Grosset, arguably Australia's most-famous and most-awarded Riesling producer, has given us PRE-SALE access to their Spring releases. The Polish Hill and Springvale Rieslings secured #1 and #2 for the 'Most Collected Riesling' in the Wine Ark's 'Australia's Most Collected Wine' guide.
Rieslingfreak, founded by John Hughes in 2009, is the culmination of a deep passion for the Riesling grape. What began as a small project has evolved into a celebrated brand offering 11 distinct styles of Riesling, each crafted to highlight the unique characteristics of South Australia's premier Riesling regions—Clare Valley, Eden Valley, and Polish Hill River. Drawing inspiration from traditional German winemaking techniques, Rieslingfreak's portfolio showcases the incredible versatility of the grape, ranging from dry and sweet wines to sparkling and fortified varieties.
The No.12 is in super short supply with only 8 cases being offered to WA, so we have bundled up the No.12 alongside our other-favourites, No.3 and No.4, in the ultimate Rieslingfreak three-pack. Here's what Wine Writer, Mike Bennie, had to say about the award-winning Rieslingfreak No.12 Flaxman Valley Riesling 2023.
"From Flaxman Valley (in Eden Valley) and the freakiest riesling freaks of all, perhaps. This is electric. So much vigour and perkiness, a vibrant and poised white that delivers strong mineral charm, beautifully brittle acidity and tension and length in spades. Ultra floral scents with lime, blackcurrant, white pepper, talc, flint, warm steel and chamomile. The palate a superb echo with succulent, mineral-charged texture and a sense of pristine, pretty fruit in tow. A delicate expression with compelling energy and drinkability as its charter."
Grosset Wines, founded by Jeffrey Grosset in 1981, has become synonymous with Clare Valley Riesling, a region famed for this noble grape. Jeffrey's lifelong dedication to the variety is reflected in his pursuit of purity and precision, particularly through his single-vineyard wines. His innovative practices, including a pioneering shift to screwcaps for better preservation, have made Grosset Wines a benchmark for quality in Australian Riesling.
The 2024 'Polish Hill' and 'Springvale' Rieslings are both exemplary Clare Valley wines, but they differ in their profiles and the terroir that shapes them:
The 2024 'Polish Hill' Riesling is a masterful expression of Clare Valley’s finest, boasting intense, pure lime juice flavours that tingle on the palate with impressive length. Praised as one of the best from Grosset's Polish Hill Vineyard, this wine is both a delight to drink young and a treasure to age for decades. Recognised as the No.1 Most Collected Riesling in Australia by Wine Ark, this vintage showcases pristine fruit, a result of a cool season and meticulous biodynamic farming. With notes of white lily, granny smith apple and lemon blossom, it combines a crystalline acidity with a slate-like structure, promising a remarkable ageing potential of up to 40 years.
The 2024 'Springvale' Riesling is a classic Clare Valley expression, offering intense and pure lemon-lime aromatics with a depth that lingers on a sumptuous, long finish. This Riesling, ranked as the No.2 Most Collected Riesling in Australia by Wine Ark, benefits from a cool season and biodynamic farming, along with the unique red loam-over-limestone terroir. The result is a wine that enhances its typical generosity with fresh, powerful varietal characteristics, delivering mouth-puckering acidity and a refined, lasting palate experience.
In essence, Polish Hill is more intense, precise, and mineral-driven, making it ideal for extended ageing, while Springvale offers a more generous and aromatic profile with a balance of fresh acidity and rich texture.
We are offering a special PRE-SALE deal for both wines. Keep reading to see what Mr. Grosset himself had to say about the 2024 vintage!
"This vintage, our estate vineyards produced the most pristine fruit that we have seen. We put this and the fruit's intense flavours down to the cool conditions early (the riesling fruit was hand harvested before hotter weather in March) and the impact of biodynamic farming. A very exciting vintage!"
