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.

From the Lienert family vineyard in Flaxman Valley, way up in the cool climes of the High Eden subregion of the Eden Valley. Fruit tones of freshly squeezed lime, grapefruit and lime with underlying citrus blossom, passionfruit flower, makrut lime, crushed quartz and stone. Some nice concentration here, but it's all about focus and tension, the wine tensing initially and releasing with a burst of limey fruit and a nervy mineral energy. Date: Jul 2024; Price: $37.00; Drink to: 2036; Alcohol: 11.9%; Rating: 96 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion