Rieslingfreak is the dedicated vision of winemaker John Hughes and his partner Belinda, who focus exclusively on Riesling from some of Australia’s most prestigious regions, the Clare Valley and Eden Valley. Through ultra-low yields, meticulous vineyard selection and a commitment to purity, terrior expression and structure, the label has become a benchmark for Australia’s finest Riesling. Recently, a 2023 Rieslingfreak release was awarded Australia’s Best Riesling in the 2025 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, highlighting the exceptional quality and growing reputation of the wines.
The White Hutt Vineyard in the Clare Valley features red clay over limestone soils and forms the basis for Rieslingfreak’s richer, more generous expressions. By contrast, the Polish Hill River site, planted on grey loam over limestone and shale, delivers tightly-structured Rieslings with a clear mineral core, green apple and citrus complexity. At higher altitude in the Eden Valley, notably around Flaxman Valley, the combination of quartz and loam soils and cool nights produces Rieslings of intense perfume, razor-sharp acidity and refined texture. The fruit from each vineyard is treated with minimal intervention, no additions except the most essential sulphur at bottling, so every wine reflects the variety and the site in which it was grown.
In every release, Rieslingfreak invites the drinker on a journey through varietal nuances, vineyard characters and seasonal thread. Whether enjoyed now or cellared for the future, these wines deliver both immediacy and long-term reward, making them a must-explore selection for lovers of elegance, finesse and terroir-driven wine.
No.3 Clare Valley Riesling
Made primarily from the family vineyard in White Hutt, Clare Valley. The heavy red clay soils contribute to the fruit intensity of this wine, making it a rich and generous style of Riesling that pairs effortlessly with a range of cuisines. No.3 is a fruit driven style, exhibiting classic flavours of the Clare Valley including ripe citrus and stonefruit, complemented by melon and tropical fruit notes. The No.3 drinks well in it’s youth, but will also reward extended cellaring.
No.4 Eden Valley Riesling
Eden Valley Rieslings often showcase delicacy and refinement, with a heady-perfumed bouquet and driving natural acidity. Rieslingfreak No.4 exemplifies this archetype with intense aromas of citrus and white blossom, complemented by flavours of fresh limes and elderflower cordial, with a slate-like minerality to the palate. Sourced from four small, family-owned and run vineyards across the southern ranges of Eden Valley, the No.4 drinks well young, but will reward with cellaring.
No.5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.5, like the No.3, is made with grapes from our family vineyard in White Hutt, Clare Valley. Grapes chosen for the No.5 are harvested from a specially-selected block with lighter, sandier soils compared to the rest of the vineyard. Grapes from this block create lighter-bodied wines with more delicate fruit flavours – perfect for Off-Dry style Riesling.
The grapes for No.5 are harvested earlier in the season, to provide a wine that is higher in natural acidity to balance the residual sugar inherent to the style. As grape acidity is weather dependent, the acid level varies with vintage; causing the residual sugar to also vary to ensure balance is achieved in the finished wine. Depending on the season, the residual sugar in the No.5 typically falls between 11-15g/L, providing a fruit driven style with a hint of sweetness and a crisp, clean finish. The No.5 drinks well on release, or will reward with cellaring.
No.8 Polish Hill River Schatzkammer Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.8 is harvested from our Polish Hill River vineyard. “Schatzkammer” is a German word meaning “Treasure Chamber”, and is generally known in the wine industry as the special ‘cabinet’ or room where German Winemakers store their most treasured wines. The No.8 is made in a German Kabinett style. Due to European labelling laws, we are not legally allowed to use the word ‘Kabinett’ on Australian wine labels, therefore, John decided to use the work “Schatzkammer”, a play on the word Kabinett/cabinet, as it is his most treasured wine!
Harvested early in the season, and made in a sweet Kabinett style, the No.8 is naturally low in alcohol. Due to the early harvest, the No.8 exhibits great amounts of natural acidity, balancing out the sweetness inherent to the style. A fruit-driven style of Riesling with plush sweetness and an ultra-crisp finish; the No.8 is a sweet delight on release, while the naturally high acidity means that it will also reward many years of cellaring.
No.12 Flaxman Valley Riesling
No.12 is harvested from small, family-owned and run vineyards in the 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 Flaxman Valley subregion in all its splendour. This wine is exceptionally delicate and refined, showcasing the delicate floral aromatics and mineral driven palate for which High Eden is so renown. A refined and elegant style of Riesling that will drink beautifully in its youth but will certainly reward patient cellaring.
No.1 Grounds of Grandeur Riesling
Grounds of Grandeur pays respect to both the vineyard and the grower of the Riesling. Made from a single vineyard, Rieslingfreak No.1 is only made in exceptional vintages, when both climatic conditions and vineyard expressions are superior.
The grapes are hand harvested and chilled for 48 hours before whole bunch pressing to gently extract only the finest fraction of Free Run juice. The juice is then settled in tank, before racking into our bespoke 1500L French Oak Foudre. The juice goes through a wild fermentation, capturing the essence of the vineyard in both fruit and yeast character. The wine is then held in barrel on yeast lees until the texture and structure of the palate are perfectly integrated – around 20-30 months – before being bottled.
No.7 Clare Valley Fortified Riesling
Made from our family vineyard, White Hutt, Clare Valley, the No.7 is harvested at the same time as Rieslingfreak No.3 – capturing flavours at optimum ripeness with plenty of natural acidity. The juice is only partially fermented to 7-8 baume and then fortified using a combination of 6-year-old brandy spirit and ultra-premium neutral spirit; to create a light, white port style with 18.0% alc/vol and approximately 100g/L residual sugar. The wine is then stored in old oak casks to develop for 2 to 12 years, and blended to create a perfect balance of fresh fruit flavour, spicy French oak, and subtle, savoury nuttiness – a character distinctive to aged fortified – prior to bottling.
