Rieslingfreak No.4 Eden Valley Dry Riesling 2025

97 POINTS - James Suckling
"Tightly wound and pure aromas of lemon pith, grapefruit rind, slate, passion fruit, fresh herbs and white flowers. The palate is sharp and focused, with bright acidity and a firm line of minerality carrying notes of mandarin and chalk. The finish is both electric and precise. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap."

The lead up to the 2025 vintage was notable for 2024 being the driest year on record in 
South Australia, as well as being the third-warmest year since records began in 1838. With
little rain to speak of it was clear that the 2025 vintage would demand judicious irrigation
and careful management of supplemental water to achieve quality crops. From budburst
there were clear indicators of the potential for a bumper harvest, but hopes were dashed in
late September when a catastrophic frost annihilated the early spring growth across much
of the Clare and Eden Valleys. While initially devastating, the timing of this frost event
played into our favour as we watched the vines bounce back with secondary budburst. The
second crop was significantly smaller than the primary, but with limited water supply and
no rain in sight, this allowed our growers to curate dense, healthy canopies with remarkable
quality fruit from minimal water input.

Summer temperatures were well above the long-term average leading to early harvests
across South Australia. Rieslingfreak commenced picking on the 10th of February, with all
the fruit received into the winery by the end of the month. For a year that is marked by hot
and dry conditions, the intensity of flavour and electric acidity in the 2025 Rieslings is both
remarkable and incredibly exciting. While the quantity of wine produced from the vintage
may be meagre, the quality certainly cannot be questioned.

Valley region. The No.4 brings together the elegance, structure and acid drive of the High
Eden subregion of Flaxman Valley, with the intense flavour and rich aromatics produced
by vineyards on the outskirts of Angaston and Springton, imparting complexity to the
bouquet and opulence to the palate.

Eden Valley is renowned for Riesling of elegance, perfume and minerality; and the 2025
No.4 is a classic example of this unique style. The bouquet leaps forth with intense aromas
of fresh limes, passionfruit, and rosewater; complemented by a spicy undertones of fennel
seed and star anise. The evocative summertime scent of rain falling on warm slate
transitions onto the elegant yet assuredly structured palate; educing a foundational slate
like minerality running beneath the punchy flavours of freshly squeezed lime juice and
elderflower cordial. The tightly wound acidity, which is a hallmark of both the region and
the 2025 vintage, drives the length of the palate drawing through to a fine, crisp finish;
while the flavours lingering lusciously in the mouth long after the wine has gone.