Rieslingfreak
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.
Rieslingfreak
No.2
Polish Hill River Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.2 is a dry Riesling, showcasing many of the refinements typical of the Polish Hill River. The limestone and shale rock soil profile are reflected in the wine with mineral and slate notes, green apple flavours, and underlying green citrus characters, predominantly lemons and grapefruit. The delicate style of Riesling from Polish Hill River can be enjoyed in the vibrancy of youth upon release, or cellared for many years.
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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.
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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.
Rieslingfreak
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.
Rieslingfreak
No.6
Clare Valley Aged Release Riesling
Made from the family vineyard in White Hutt, Clare Valley. No.6 is harvested early in the season from a block specifically selected for cellaring potential, the wine is fermented to complete dryness.
The No.6 is bottled in the same year of vintage and then bottle-matured in our climate-controlled cellar for at least 5 years prior to release. This careful cellaring slowly sees the development of butter, toast and ripe citrus flavours, as the palate softens and the wine mellows into maturity. The No.6 is intended for enjoyment upon release, but will also reward with further cellaring.
Rieslingfreak
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.
Rieslingfreak
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.
Rieslingfreak
No.9
Clare Valley Sekt Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.9 is made from our family vineyard in White Hutt, Clare Valley; with fruit selected from the coolest site that experiences the slowest ripening, retaining high natural acidity and extremely restrained fruit flavour. The grapes are harvested early and fermented dry, with the wine then left on lees for a short period of time to develop complex flavours.
Rieslingfreak No.9 Sekt Riesling is made via Méthode Traditionelle – the traditional Champagne method – where the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. The wine is matured in-bottle on yeast lees for 36 months prior to disgorgement and prepared for sale. The No.9 is an exceptionally dry style of sparkling, pairing classical Riesling characters together with the complex yeast-derived notes developed from aging on lees.
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No.10
Zenit Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.10 is a blend of vineyards and regions that captures the essence of the vintage, as the very pinnacle of classic, dry Rieslingfreak style.
Originating in 2017, Rieslingfreak No.10 was originally created by John and Belinda as their ‘wedding wine’, intended to be a small batch to be served exclusively on their special day. Without constraints of region or style, they discovered a multi-regional blend was their wine of choice, and this bespoke wedding blend held a serious ‘wow’ factor for them both! After drinking a bottle, Belinda came up with the idea of sharing this wine with the world as Rieslingfreak No.10. This love child of the Rieslingfreak winemakers is our ultimate blend and the lovers’ definitive expression of Riesling.
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No.11
"Mosaik" Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.11 is our “Mosaik” (Mosaic) – a unique take on Riesling which like the traditional artform, brings together a collection of pieces that don’t seem to fit together, but in the hands of a master craftsman create a true work of art. Mosaic brings together the elegance of Eden Valley Riesling, the exotic funk of wild-type yeast strains, and the supple phenolics and subtle spice of old French Oak barrels to create a complex masterpiece of flavour and texture. A quirky spin on Riesling that will certainly take you for a walk on the wild side!
Rieslingfreak
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.
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No.14
Watervale Riesling
No.14 is sourced from the Sandow family vineyard, situated 4.5km East of the small township of Watervale in the Clare Valley. The Watervale subregion is defined by its very specific soil type; classic Terra Rossa topsoil over limestone, similar to that found in South Australia’s famed Coonawarra region. Watervale is renowned for producing Riesling of richness and elegance, and the No.14 is a perfect representation of this renown Riesling style. Defined by delicate aromatics and soft, slippery texture, Watervale Rieslings have long been celebrated for their approachability, food-friendliness and exceptional cellaring potential. No.14 is a Riesling that may be enjoyed well in its youth, but will also reward long-term cellaring.
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No.33
Clare Valley Growers Riesling
No.33 is collaboration from our growers in the Clare Valley, combining distinct subregional characters to create a fruit-driven style of Riesling with generosity on the palate. Sourced from vineyards in Watervale to the south through Polish Hill River to White Hutt in the North, fruit for the No.33 is grown on a variety of soils and aspects, capturing the essence of the Clare Valley in a single Riesling. This wine inhabits a unique space of finely balanced compatibility between the inherent richness and generosity of the fruit from the family vineyard in White Hutt, the delicate structure and highly perfumed bouquet of Riesling from Watervale, and the lean, mineral-driven elegance of the fruit from Polish Hill River. No.33 is made in a dry style with intent for immediate appeal and absolute approachability; poised for ultimate enjoyment on release.
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No.34
Tale of Two Valleys
Tale of Two Valleys is a unique blend of Clare and Eden Valley Riesling; bringing wines from the Two Valleys together to tell a tale of rare compatibility of contrasting regional characters. Clare Valley Riesling is renowned for its generous aromatics and rich flavour, while Eden Valley Riesling is characterised by a minerally backbone of fine and refreshing acidity. Harmonising the Two Regions together in one glass is no mean feat, but when the balance is achieved, an incredible synergy is created. Made in a dry style with intent for immediate appeal and absolute approachability; No.34 is poised for ultimate enjoyment on release.
Rieslingfreak
No.44
Eden Valley Riesling
No.44 is collaboration from our growers in the Eden Valley, combining distinct subregional characters to create a fruit-driven style of Riesling with generosity on the palate. Fruit for No.44 is sourced from small, family-owned and run vineyards across the southern ranges of Eden Valley, in and around High Eden. The vineyards are situated approximately 550m above sea level, and soils vary from shallow grey sandy loam over shale rock, to loam soil over light medium clay, with high quartz rock and gravel content. Renowned for Rieslings of elegance, structure and aromatic intensity, Eden Valley is celebrated for dry-style Rieslings with distinct regional character; highly perfumed aromatics and slate-like minerality being the signatures of Eden Valley Riesling. No.44 is made in a dry style with intent for immediate appeal and absolute approachability; poised for ultimate enjoyment on release.
Rieslingfreak
No.50
Freak’s Half-Century Clare Valley Riesling
2024 marked a significant life milestone for The Freak as he officially hit the half-century mark during the peak of the 2024 vintage. To celebrate the occasion, John created a very special, one-of-a-kind Riesling – the No.50.
In pursuit of perfection, John personally hand-selected the very best bunches from across the family vineyard at White Hutt in the Clare Valley, to create a Riesling of unrivalled elegance and purity. In true Rieslingfreak fashion, this precious fruit was treated with the deftest touch; endeavouring to perfectly preserve the natural beauty of the fruit from grape to glass. The No.50 is the ultimate example of the very best that our Family vineyard can produce, from one of the very best Rieslingfreak vintages ever seen.
The 2024 No.50 is a never-to-be-repeated Riesling like no other. Made with longevity in mind, the No.50 will have a special place in the Freak’s personal cellar for many years to come; perhaps even outliving the man himself.
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No.55
Clare Valley Growers Off-Dry Riesling
No.55 is a collaboration from our growers in the Clare Valley, combining distinct subregional characters to create an off-dry, fruit-driven style of Riesling with generosity on the palate. Sourced from vineyards that traverse the length of the Clare Valley, No.55 is grown on a variety of soils and aspects, capturing the essence of the Clare Valley in a single Riesling. No.55 is harvested early 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. Produced as a fruit-driven style with a hint of sweetness and a crisp, clean finish, No.55 is made for immediate appeal and absolute approachability; poised for ultimate enjoyment on release.
Rieslingfreak
No.66
“Kopfüber” Clare Valley Riesling
“Kopfüber” is German for “Upside-Down”, a nod to the unusual journey this wine has taken from grape to glass. A blend of Polish Hill River and Watervale Riesling, No.66 is fermented to exceptional purity in Stainless Steel, before spending 12 months of quiet maturation in our French Oak Foudre. This journey is the reverse of the norm where fermentation in barrel is standard for oak matured wines, imparting more robust oak character and yeasty complexity to the finished wine. The topsy-turvy approach for the No.66 however, has preserved remarkably fresh fruit intensity while imparting subtle spice and a delicate, velvety softness to the palate.
Rieslingfreak
No.99
Out of the Square Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.99 ‘Out of the Square’ Riesling is our ‘winemakers’ playground’ wine. The label No.99 allows experimentation with grape growing and winemaking, while offering a chance for our fellow freaks to take a peek behind the curtain and into the weird and wonderful world of no-rules winemaking. No.99 is all about trying something new, something different; and finding an alternative way of expressing the Riesling grape. The success or failure of the No.99 will decide if the experiment is worth repeating, and if the wine will be allocated its own number in the Rieslingfreak collection. Exclusive to our Cellar Door, every edition of No.99 is a one-off with a unique tale to tell.
