For John Hughes, the attraction to Riesling is all encompassing. Growing up on a small vineyard in the Clare Valley, and going on to work with some of the brightest Riesling makers in the country before launching his own venture, John is never far away from his beloved grape. John makes classic Australian styles from carefully selected vineyards with an emphasis on purity and site reflection, as well as German-inspired expressions that balance acidity and sugar with singular precision.

Rieslingfreak No.12 is harvested from individually selected vines from the Mason and Zander family vineyards in Flaxman Valley in High Eden, a premium sub-region of Eden Valley. Renown for growing world-class Riesling of unrivalled elegance, this wine captures the very essence of the High Eden subregion in all its splendour. This wine was first released in 2021 to celebrate John’s achievement as being heralded as Barossa’s Winemaker of the Year.

This stunning High Eden Riesling instantly delivers with tense aromas of wet stones, apricot, spice and kaffir lime with youthful impact and energy. An explosive palate follows, that vitality and power remaining strong while keeping its composure through to a finish of exceptional length. Benchmark Eden Riesling. Drink: 2026-2038; Rating: 97 Points;  Andrew Caillard MW; The Vintage Journal

Very pale lemon tint in the glass. White flowers, dried lemon peel and talcum aromatics. Tightly wound and incredibly focused on the tongue with lime and lemon, dried flowers and a saline minerality all bound with great tension of driving acidity. It feels bone dry and whilst very tight in its youth, there's such latent power here it will cellar for many years ahead. Date: Nov 2023; Alcohol: 12%; Price: $37.00; Drink: 2023-2037; Rating: 96 Points; Stuart Knox; The Real Review

Dried floral bouquet, reserved and minerally, a suggestion of boronia. There's not a skerrick of sweetness in this wine. The 9.2 grams per litre of acidity ensures it's crisp and dry and mineral on the finish. Has the regional bouquet of dried flowers, citrus blossoms, a bit more singular. Very dry, rather austere, destined for the cellar for a few years although it would be delicious now with a piece of fish. Great potential. (From the Zander and Bartholomaeus vineyards. The international riesling scale shows it’s bone-dry.) Date: Oct 2023; Alcohol: 12%; Price: $37.00; Drink: 2025-2035; Rating: 95 Points; Huon Hooke; The Real Review