David 24 October 2013
Just a quick note to let you know that John Hughes’ 2013
Riesling Freak wines are now available.
I offered John’s 2012 vintage last year and the response was extraordinary. It seemed most of you cottoned on pretty fast to some of the best value Rieslings in the country.
I met John years ago when we studied together at Roseworthy and even back then it was all about Riesling for him. John worked for several years honing his skills before setting out on his own Riesling odyssey. Yep... he only does Riesling. His aim is to showcase Rieslings of different styles from the best regions. Last year he had
Clare and Eden Valley Rieslings and this year he’s added a few more to the stable.
John's been busy and the big news is that earlier this month he won the
Encouragement Award for Up and Coming Australian Riesling Winemakersat the Canberra International Riesling Challenge. This is a massive achievement with over 500 Rieslings vying for recognition from a line-up of first class international judges. It’s a huge, and well deserved gong for John, who’s not only a talented winemaker, but also one of the true gentlemen of the wine industry.
I spoke to John a few days ago and he reiterated his love of the pure aromatics of Riesling, wanting his wines to ‘scream’ Riesling. He also spoke of the importance of balancing fruit and acid and his dislike of what he calls ‘flabby’ Riesling, where the fruit and sugar are not matched by acid. Understanding this explains a lot about John’s wines and he labours excessively to ensure this crucial balance is just right.
Following on from the incredible 2012 vintage in South Australia,
2013 in the Clare, where John grows and sources most of his fruit, was by all accounts a dry but wonderful vintage.
I keep telling John he should put his prices up, but he won’t listen to me… So before he comes to his senses or shoots to fame, grab these terrific wines - which I think should sell for more!
Riesling Freak No. 3 Clare Valley Riesling 2013
The fruit for this wine comes from John’s family vineyard, just north of the town of Clare in a region known locally as White Hut. Clare Riesling tends to be generous, forward and ripe and the No. 3 is typical. It’s an upfront wine, packed full of concentrated ripe lemon, lime and musk flavours with plenty of clean acidity. Dry and refreshing. Yum. Like all of John’s wines, this one will cellar, if you can keep you hands off it.
No.3 won a Silver Medal at the Royal Adelaide Show and a Silver Medal at the Canberra International Riesling Challenge.
I can offer it for $21 a bottle. SOLD OUT - Check availability
Riesling Freak No. 4 Eden Valley Riesling 2013
The No. 4 is sourced from the renowned Riesling region of Eden Valley. It’s a more delicate wine than the No. 3, with subtle grapefruit and pineapple notes and hints of white blossom. I love this wine for its elegance. It’s fine and light, with plenty of crisp acidity, leading to a clean, dry finish. As I said last year - ditch the sauv blanc and get into this for some satisfying summer drinking.
I can offer it for $21 a bottle. SOLD OUT - Check availability
Riesling Freak No. 5 Clare Valley Riesling ‘Off-Dry’ 2013
Don’t tune out because this is ‘off dry.’ Stay with me… it’s off-dry,
not sweet and remember that many of the best Rieslings in the world are made in this style. The fruit for this wine is the same as the No.3, however it’s picked a week later. It contains 11 g/l of sugar, slightly less than the 2012 and a long way from Coke, which has about 110g/L and Chateau d’Yquem, which usually has around 120-150g/L. The key to this style is to ensure there is enough acidity to balance out that slight sweetness.
Not surprisingly this wine is quite similar to the No.3, but there’s more weight in the mouth from that little bit of extra sugar. But don’t expect sweetness - John has balanced the acid perfectly. There’s lively citrus, and attractive flavours of musk and sherbet, but I just keep coming back to the balance and weight which make it so easy to drink and drink.
John didn’t make much of this last year, as he wasn’t sure how it would sell - it went quickly. Luckily for us, this year he’s made a little more of it, but get in quick because I reckon this vintage will meet the same fate.
I can offer it for $21 a bottle. SOLD OUT - Check availability
Riesling Freak No.8 “Schatzkammer” Riesling 2013
John has always wanted to produce a Riesling in a style similar to a German
Kabinett and here it is. Unable to use the term Kabinett due to protective EU labelling laws, John went with Schatzkammer, which is a German word for the cabinet in which German winemakers store their treasured wines. Apt for a wine John sees as the best he’s made to date.
The term Kabinett is one of six Prädikats (awarded distinctions) applying to German wine that’s based on
ripeness. Kabinett is the lightest followed in order by Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and finally Trockenbeerenauslese. Whilst Kabinett wines are fully ripe, and may be semi-sweet or even dry, they are always light.
The fruit for this wine comes from the
Polish Hill region, about 5km southeast of Clare.
Wow – what a wine! It’s
7.5% alcohol, with delicate yet ripe flavours of citrus, tropical fruit, rose petal and honeysuckle. The higher sugar content (45g/L) is perfectly balanced by a clean and vibrant acidity, so the finish doesn’t appear overly sweet. In the mouth it’s viscous yet light and textured but crisp, highlighting John’s magic ability to balance the composition precisely.
The big news is that this wine won a Gold medal and
‘Top of Class’ at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show. It also won a Silver Medal and ‘Top of Class’ at the Canberra International Riesling Challenge.
Why aren’t winemakers in Australia making more wine like this?
I can offer it for $35 a bottle (limited stock available). SOLD OUT - Check availability
Riesling Freak No 7. Clare Valley Fortified Riesling 2009/10 (375ml)
This is a
unique wine that you’ve got to try! Like the No. 3 and No. 5, the fruit comes from the family vineyard just north of Clare. The grapes are fermented, with residual sugar at the end of the process. The resulting wine is then fortified using 3-year-old brandy spirit, before being matured for 2-3 years in large 70-year-old oak ex-fortifying puncheons (600L casks) which John sourced from Seppeltsfield.
True to form, John has created a fortified wine with attractive Riesling aromatics - incredible - no one makes a fortified like this! What a delicious wine, sweet, rich and luscious, yet not in the slightest bit cloying, due to the clean acidity balancing out the sugar. It’s
18.4% alcohol and the quality of the fortifying brandy spirit is evident as there’s just a touch of that classic ‘rancio’ taste, which is the nutty-ish taste you find in sherry. You’ll find a lingering mouthful of burnt sugar, vanilla, caramel and sweet citrus. And as it’s fortified, you can keep it it in the fridge for a few months once opened... as if that’s going to happen. I guarantee it’ll be gone in one sitting.
I gave a bottle to a friend the other day who’d kindly given me a crayfish he’d caught. I received this text the next day,
“Oh my golly gosh, the No. 7 was so delicious. I just polished off the bottle. It was like drinking a delicious dessert!”
This wine highlights John’s dedication to Riesling and shows the great creativity and skill he possesses. Yep, he’s definitely a Riesling Freak! You’re going to love it, I can’t believe it’s so reasonably priced.
I can offer it for $25 a bottle (375ml). Click here to order.
