Country: Australia
Region: Clare Valley
Vintage: 2025
Variety: Riesling
Alcohol volume: 11.0%
Closure: Screwcap

Aroma
The nose is richly seductive with aromas of Pink Lady Apples, Meyer lemon, guava and fresh nectarines.

Palate
The palate is intensely flavoured with zesty citrus-driven flavours of lemon and blood orange, complemented by sweet apple and tropical notes of mango and passionfruit. The lusciously flavoured palate is classically generous yet deceptively delicate, deftly bound by a tight line of crisp acidity that carries through to a long, zesty finish.

Region notes
The No.3 is harvested primarily from the family vineyard, situated in White Hutt, Clare Valley. The grapes are grown on heavy red clay soils that are rich in nutrients and have significant water holding capacity. These classic Terra Rossa soils are responsible for the rich flavours and generous palate weight that has become the hallmark of the No.3.

Vintage notes
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.

James Suckling
95 Points
Fresh and tightly wound, with aromas of lime zest, green apples, guavas, talc, gun smoke and white flowers. The palate is full of drive and precision, showing bright acidity with lemon pith, crushed stones and a hint of jasmine. Linear and focused, with a long, mineral-edged finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Mike Bennie
93 Points
A very neat and tidy expression that leans into the tension, chalky pucker and energetic drive of the variety. Very crisp, with a pink grapefruit tang and a haziness to texture that finishes juicy. A little sweeter citrus profile as it rolls away after each sip. Licks of quartz-like minerality, a bit of eucalyptus lozenge and some green apple, too. It's pure, vibrant and has bell-ring clarity for the variety and region.