2024 Adelina Polish Hill River Smith Vineyard Riesling

Col McBryde had his eye on this site for years. The Smith family’s Ruchioch vineyard in Polish Hill River is low-yielding, organically farmed, and tough to get hold of, so when fruit finally became available, he didn’t hesitate.

It sits just up the road from Adelina’s other Polish Hill blocks, with similar soils and elevation, but the vines here crop lighter and deliver extra intensity. The 2024 was picked in the cool, gently pressed, and fermented cold to retain clarity and drive.

The result is a Riesling with real presence. It’s tight and racy, as you’d expect from Polish Hill, but there’s a bit more flesh on the mid-palate - fruit weight without sweetness, and real drive of flavour.

Pure, mineral, and finely tuned. A sharp bit of gear from one of Clare’s best.

96 points
"Ultra attractive, a little extra bandwidth and character here; complexity is notable. All that flavour and detail is super impressive and makes for an outstanding wine."
- Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points
"Laser-focused... Delicate and refined, showing lingering notes of green apples, talc and slate. Excellent. Drink or hold. Screw cap."
- Ryan Montgomery (James Suckling)

95 points
"This is a spearing wine of impact and length. It is very good."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points
"A botanical smelling wine, with herbs and lemongrass, lime and aniseed... plenty of grip and presence, good concentration, saline character, and a firm finish of excellent length. Distinct personality, and very good it is too."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)