Rieslingfreak No. 2

Rieslingfreak No. 2

SKU:2025 | Clare Valley | Riesling

Description

Polish Hill precision in a glass. Rieslingfreak No.2 delivers clarity and minerality from one of Clare Valley’s most revered sites—Polish Hill River.

Aromas of green apple, jasmine, pomelo and lime zest lead into a palate defined by fine talc-like minerality, vibrant citrus (yuzu, Granny Smith apple) and electric acidity. The finish is long, saline and crystalline.

This is a dry, site-driven Riesling crafted in the German tradition—designed to reward in youth and over decades of cellar time.

  • Region: Clare Valley, Polish Hill River
  • Style: Dry, mineral, elegant
  • Cellaring: Drink now–2035+ for complexity
  • Food pairing: Oysters, sashimi, goat’s cheese, citrus seafood

Scroll down for technical data, vintage story & more.

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Polish Hill precision in a glass. Rieslingfreak No.2 delivers clarity and minerality from one of Clare Valley’s mo...
VIEW DETAILS
Bottle of Rieslingfreak No.2 Polish Hill River Riesling — Clare Valley dry Riesling with green apple, citrus and talc minerality — at Wine Simple.

An electric Clare Valley Riesling—intense, mineral, and cellar-worthy.

Further Details:

Winemaker's Notes

2025 Vintage:
The lead up to the 2025 vintage was notable for 2024 being the driest year on record in South Australia, as well as being the third-warmest year since records began in 1838. With
little rain to speak of it was clear that the 2025 vintage would demand judicious irrigation and careful management of supplemental water to achieve quality crops. From budburst
there were clear indicators of the potential for a bumper harvest, but hopes were dashed in late September when a catastrophic frost annihilated the early spring growth across much of the Clare and Eden Valleys. While initially devastating, the timing of this frost event played into our favour as we watched the vines bounce back with secondary budburst. The second crop was significantly smaller than the primary, but with limited water supply and no rain in sight, this allowed our growers to curate dense, healthy canopies with remarkable quality fruit from minimal water input. Summer temperatures were well above the long-term average leading to early harvests across South Australia. Rieslingfreak commenced picking on the 10th of February, with all
the fruit received into the winery by the end of the month. For a year that is marked by hot and dry conditions, the intensity of flavour and electric acidity in the 2025 Rieslings is both
remarkable and incredibly exciting. While the quantity of wine produced from the vintage may be meagre, the quality certainly cannot be questioned.

2025 Rieslingfreak No.2 Polish Hill River Riesling:
Sourced from the Polish Hill River vineyard, situated 5km South-East of the Clare township. The vineyard is owned by Rob and Lyn Jaeschke, who purchased the vineyard
from Penfolds in 2010. The vineyard is planted on grey-brown loam based soils, over sandy limestone and shale rock. The Riesling vines are approximately 15 years old, planted on
40 year old root stock. Polish Hill River was especially hard-hit but the September frost, with crops being reduced
by over 70% in the Jaeschke vineyard. While fruit was scarce and the resulting wine volume meagre, the quality and regional expression of the 2025 No.2 is second to none. 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.

Technical Info

Variety: Riesling
Region: Clare Valley | South Australia | Australia
Size: 750mL
Alcohol Volume: 10.5%
Standard Drinks: 6.2
CONTAINS SULPHITES
WINE OF AUSTRALIA

Cellaring Recommendations

Drink now for citrus brightness and fresh aromatics. Cellar 10–15 years for developed notes of toast, honey, and richness.

Further Information About this Wine

Rieslingfreak No.2 sits firmly in the lineage of classic dry Riesling in Clare Valley, distinguished by its bright minerality and regional purity. Polish Hill River is a sub-region of limestone, shale and loam, lifting the wine with slate and citrus intensity. The No.2 is made in the German tradition of purity—whole bunch pressing (no skin contact), minimal handling, and an emphasis on precise acidity. In 2025, the vintage presented one of its greatest challenges: early frost slashed yields, but the vines responded with a secondary budburst. The result is a leaner crop with concentrated flavors and balance under stress. This vintage No.2 shows the structural backbone, tension and electric drive that define great Clare Riesling. Over years in bottle, expect subtle development: chalk, petrol, honeyed depth—but never losing its clarity.

About Rieslingfreak

Rieslingfreak is the inspiration of John Hughes. The first vintage of Rieslingfreak was in 2009, with a single vineyard Clare Valley Riesling, from the family property in White Hutt. Since then, the label has expanded to include Eden Valley and Polish Hill River.
Rieslingfreak is all about exploring the diversity of the Riesling grape. There are very few grape varieties in the world, where an array of styles can be produced form a single variety.
Rieslingfreak is currently producing a number of dry wines representing different regions, together with various styles including, sweet, sekt and fortified.

About Clare Valley Wine Region

The Clare Valley is one of Australia’s most respected regions for Riesling—cool nights, warm days, and rocky soils drive tension and clarity. Within it, Polish Hill River is a celebrated sub-region defined by limestone, shale and grey loam soils. Wines from this site often carry slate, mineral and citrus signature, along with a subtle saline edge. The climate leans continental, with marked diurnal shifts that preserve acidity while enabling flavor depth. Historically, Polish Hill produced Rieslings for Beefsteak Regent and Penfolds before smaller producers revived the area’s potential. Today, a new generation embraces minimal handling to showcase the site’s precision and nerve. For fans of mineral elegance and structural finesse, Polish Hill River Rieslings sit among the finest expressions Australia offers.

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