Rieslingfreak
In 2009, Rieslingfreak sprang from the passion of the titular Riesling freak, John Hughes, and has since grown into an 11-style strong portfolio of Rieslings with serious renown in the Aussie wine scene.
John's passion for Riesling started in his childhood growing up on a Clare Valley vineyard, a region famous for its beautiful Rieslings. As he grew older, that passion naturally led him to the Rieslings of Germany and Austria, sparking inspiration for his own wines. Homages to the sweeter styles and elegant delicateness of these wines can be found throughout the Rieslingfreak portfolio.
John now heads a team of Riesling enthusiasts alongside his wife and fellow winemaker, Belinda, a veteran South Australian white wine maker. Their mission is to create quintessentially South Australian Rieslings, reflecting the unique strengths of regions such as the Clare Valley, Eden Valley and Polish Hill River. The numbering system that denotes each Riesling represents the region the fruit was grown in and the style of the Riesling within.
Rieslingfreak upholds three key elements when it comes to the way they craft their Rieslings: fruit, acid and sweetness. Balancing these elements is Rieslingfreak's speciality, and results in some spectacular Rieslings. Fruit is harvested at night and is spun and drained rather than pressed to preserve the purity of the juice. The juice then undergoes intense scrutiny, with the team testing for acidity and adjusting as needed to achieve the right length and brightness. Cultured yeast is used in fermentation instead of wild yeast to ensure a consistency across vintages and to encapsulate the pure characteristics of the region the wines come from.
Now, you can come and try some of these fantastic Rieslings at Wine Republic! We are very excited to be hosting Rieslingfreak Tastings on 07.11.25 in our Northcote store and on 28.11.25 in our Fitzroy store. Pop in, have a taste and take a bottle home!
Or, if you can't wait, order a case through our website. Listed below are the Rieslingfreak wines available at Wine Republic.
Rieslingfreak No. 2 Polish Hill River Riesling
Sourced from the Polish Hill River vineyard, situated 5km South-East of the Clare township. The vineyard is planted on grey-brown loam based soils, over sandy limestone and shale rock. The bouquet is highly perfumed with aromas of fresh green apple, jasmine, and pomelo, with a hints of passionflower and fresh lime juice. The palate is crisp yet silky-soft, with a fine, talc-like minerality imparting a pleasing slipperiness to the texture in the mouth. The bright flavours of Granny Smith apple and yuzu run a fine line between sweet and tart, while the elegant and complex palate is punctuated with an electric line of acidity, imparting exceptional length and a clean, crisp finish.
Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley Riesling
With fruit sourced primarily from the familial vineyard in White Hutt, Clare Valley, Rieslingfreak No.3 is all lemon zest and stone fruit, with a nice bite of acidity and very, very drinkable. The heavy clay soils the fruit was grown in contribute to the fruit-driven nature of this wine, both classic light stone fruit and more tropical notes, making it a perfect pairing with just about any meal.
Rieslingfreak No. 4 Eden Valley Riesling
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 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.
Rieslingfreak No. 5 Clare Valley Off-Dry Riesling
The No. 5 is a sister to the No. 3, sourced from the same White Hutt vineyard but specifically from sandier blocks rather than the heavy clays of the rest of the vineyard. The fruit was harvested earlier in the season for higher acidity, which offsets the residual sugars inherent to the style. The result is a slightly off-dry Riesling with lemon zest and sweet grapefruit flavours. Though happily drunk now, it will cheerfully cellar for a few years.
Rieslingfreak No. 8 Polish Hill Schatzkammer Riesling
No. 8 is a sweet, German-style Riesling named after a "Schatzkammer", or cabinet where German winemakers stored their precious and most treasured wines. You'll want to invest in a schatzkammer of your very own after you try this sweet and acidic white wine. Green apple and lime flavours reward your tastebuds while the 8% alcohol content means you can drink a cupboard's worth!
Rieslingfreak No. 12 Flaxman Valley Riesling
Rieslingfreak No.12 captures the very essence of the High Eden subregion. First released in 2021 to celebrate John’s achievement as being heralded as Barossa’s Winemaker of the Year, this wine celebrates the beauty of High Eden Riesling via a distinctive and highly perfumed bouquet, and elegantly structured palate. Slick and satiny texture wrapped around a core of crackling acidity.