2026 Rieslingfreak No 2 Polish Hill River Riesling, Clare Valley

A stone-cold Polish Hill River classic. Stony, too! All that minerality bound up in juicy lime, pristine green apple juice and a touch of lemon-jasmine tea in the mix. Fragrant, fresh feeling and almost ticklish in its briny acidity, this is so vibrant and pure feeling, with immense immediate drinkability and mass appeal. The clarity is something else, and then that river pebble and slate element slips in. A stunning riesling in any language. Drink to 2040.

96 points Special Value Mike Bennie for Halliday Wine Companion, September 2026

Quite a generous expression of this bottling for the 2026 vintage, with fresh citrus, peach, nectarine and spicy wet slate minerality. The palate is mid-weighted with plenty of fruit generosity cut through with scintillating acidity. Drinking really well upon release but with plenty of time to develop in the cellar. Drink or hold.

95 points Ryan Montgomery for James Suckling, September 2026

The fruit for the 2026 vintage of the No 2 comes from Rob and Lyn Jaeschke’s vineyard in the renowned Polish Hill subregion, located five kilometres southeast of the town of Clare. The Riesling vines on this site are almost 20-year-old and grafted to 50-year-old root stock, standing in grey-brown loam-based soils over sandy limestone and shale rock. The Jaeschke’s narrowly escaped the devastating effects of a November frost that wiped out much of the subregion, and the unique blend of vintage conditions has delivered a wine that is elegant and fine Riesling with perfumed floral aromas of pear and citrus, rich texture and complex flavours.

About this producer

Rieslingfreak was established in 2009 by Clare Valley-born John Hughes as a way to explore the many personalities that Riesling can show in South Australia, with each release showcasing a unique regional in styles ranging from bone-dry to sweet and fortified.

Today, the impressive line-up in crafted by a small team that also includes his better half, and an accomplished winemaker in her own right, Belinda Hughes. Fruit is sourced from estate vineyards as well as some of the best growers in Clare and Eden Valleys. The grapes are mostly machine picked to allow for nighttime harvesting and are processed with a gentle spin and drain method without pressing. Winemaking adopts to the season’s fruit style, with juices inoculated with a neutral cultured yeast in pursuit of highlighting vintage variances and regional styles. The team further seeks to present a harmonious balance between fruit flavours, acidity and sweetness in each wine, with no fixed formula for any of the releases.