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.3 is harvested from the family vineyard. The heavy red clay soils contribute to the fruit intensity of this wine, providing a fruit driven style of Riesling. Being from Clare, the wine has classic flavours of ripe lemon and lime and some tropical fruit notes. The Riesling drinks well young, but will also reward with cellaring.

Such a beautiful, concentrated yet composed wine from John's mum and dad's vineyard at White Hutt, 5.8km north of the Clare township. So perfumed and essential, with crunchy lime, green apple and grapefruit alongside high tones of wildflowers, Christmas lily, jasmine, talc, mineral salts, peach skin and stone. Concentrated yet super-tight on the palate with a tubular core of focused lime and citrus fruits, a beautifully fine structure and a tangy, energetic line with velocity to burn. A superb, pristine wine. Date: Jul 2024; Alcohol: 11.4%; Price: $28.00; Drink by: 2038; Rating: 97 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion