StarDozen – 2026 Rieslingfreak Collection

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.

The StarDozen consists of the following:

3 bottles   Rieslingfreak No.2 Polish Hill River Riesling 2026
3 bottles   Rieslingfreak No.3 Clare Valley Riesling 2026
3 bottles   Rieslingfreak No.4 Eden Valley Riesling 2026
3 bottles Rieslingfreak No.5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling 2026

Rieslingfreak No.2 Polish Hill River Riesling 2026
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. Date: Aug 2026; Alcohol: 11%; Price: $38.00; Drink by: 2040; Rating: 96 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion

Rieslingfreak No.3 Clare Valley Riesling 2026
The No.3 comes mostly from the family vineyard in White Hutt, Clare Valley. Sliced pear, citrus blossom, lemon sherbet, lime leaf and wet slate. The palate is lean and mean with electric acidity, lovely minerality and a slightly saline, salty finish with a strong citrus drive. Delicious now but will be even better with some age. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Rating: 96 Points; James Suckling

Rieslingfreak No.4 Eden Valley Riesling 2026
Finely balanced, high energy and tense with fresh sliced citrus, lime leaf, pepper and spice, bringing together an elegant mineral profile. The palate is high voltage with salivating acidity and underlying density and concentration of fruit that will unravel beautifully with age. A fine Aussie Riesling drinking well now, but better with some time in bottle. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Rating: 97 Points; James Suckling

Rieslingfreak No.5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling 2026
Some of the most charming, easy-to-drink, fun wines on the planet are made from riesling in an off-dry style. This doesn't miss a trick. It has the skittish crimps and crackles of saline minerality found in bone-dry riesling, but offers up the gentle lip-plumping of honeyed citrus and red apple fruitiness that are the tells of residual sugar. There's no sense of 'sweet wine' here, just a textural nod and a fruitiness. The balance is sublime. Wildly drinkable and charming. Date: Aug 2026; Alcohol: 10.5%; Price: $29.00; Drink by: 2030; Rating: 95 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion

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