2024 Adelina Smith Polish Hill River Riesling, Clare Valley

Laser-focused aromas of grapefruit, flint, lemon peel, lime leaves and sea spray. The palate is light-bodied with a high-tension mouthfeel and energetic acidity. Delicate and refined, showing lingering notes of green apples, talc and slate. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

96 points Top 100 Value Wines 2025 jamessuckling.com

From a single site. It feels quite glossy and concentrated, a little slick of fruit sweetness but that's tempered by saline minerality and tightening citrus fruit characters. About all that, the wine speaks volumes in florals, talc, green apple, gingery elements and a kind of lemon meringue note, too. Ultra attractive, a little extra bandwidth and character here; complexity is notable. All that flavour and detail is super impressive and makes for an outstanding wine.

96 points Special Value Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

Adelina Smith Family Vineyard Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley, is a finely detailed expression from one of the region’s most revered Riesling sites. Polish Hill River is renowned for its high altitude, cool nights and ancient shale and slate soils, producing Rieslings of intense line, natural acidity and long lived structure. The Smith Family Vineyard is a low yielding site that captures the purity and tension the sub region is famous for. Made by winemakers Jen Gardner and Col McBryde, the wine reflects a hands off approach that allows site and season to lead, resulting in a Riesling that is precise, expressive and built to age.

Pale straw with green highlights, the aromas are tightly coiled and mineral driven, showing lime zest, lemon pith and green apple, layered with white florals and a distinct wet stone character drawn from the shale soils. The palate is racy and finely etched, delivering concentrated citrus flavours, a powdery texture and mouthwatering acidity that drives long through the finish. There is a savoury, almost salty edge that adds depth and reinforces its sense of place.

Outstanding with oysters, sashimi, grilled fish, Vietnamese herbs and chilli, or fresh goat’s cheese. While compelling in its youth for its purity and drive, it has exceptional cellar potential over fifteen to twenty years, where it will develop classic toast, beeswax and honeyed complexity without losing its structural core.