I have been spruiking the wines of John Hughes for some time as exemplars of Australian Riesling. All he makes is Riesling from various sites in the Clare and Eden Valleys, and in differing styles. I have long been a fan of his number 4 Eden Valley.
However when this one was presented to me I was floored. It is priced to make a strong statement. Given that it is 50% more expensive that Grosset Polish Hill and twice the price of Crawford River it’s making a strong claim as these two wines are possibly regarded as the best of the genre.
The wine is not what I was expecting. It’s not all powdery lime, talc and acidity. It’s riper, more concentrated, and is showing a small modicum of development adding complexity. It shows a slight sweetness, but it’s not sucrosity it’s unadulterated fruit sweetness, similar to what I have seen in Clos St Hune. The wine is nicely balanced, the acidity cloaked and ripe. Finish is long. It’s a bold move, but one to be applauded and will help elevate the variety.
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Hi Kent,
I haven’t tasted the 2020, but remember thinking the 2017 would give the top Grosses Gewächs dry Rieslings of Germany a run for their money.
cheers
Jeremy
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Good call re GG. Didn’t know he had made a few vintages as it’s the first time I’ve seen one. Doing a bit more reading I note there’s some oak used so it certainly is a ‘pushing the boundaries’ style.
No.2 is one of the great, yet largely unknown, wine values of the world. A trocken-style Polish Hill Riesling that can outshine and outrun many from Germany.
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I think Australia is 20 years ahead of everyone in Riesling. Their dry Rieslings are the best in the world, in my opinion. They own that category. Although I do think Rieslingfreak might be less representative of the drier Aussie style than many other producers, but I’m not sure as I’ve not had many of their bottlings.
Sadly, in my opinion, we’re still lost in the wilderness here in CA, trying to emulate German styles and not committing to the style that suits our climate like Australia has.
What are the things you really like about them that makes them the best in the world (for you)?
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Where are you getting Crawford River Reserve Riesling for $50-odd ? As most places it is around the $100+ mark.
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Quite right Dave, was thinking of the Estate Crawford River, having never bought the Reserve.
Perhaps then my title is erroneous and better suited to the tabloids 
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Bugger, was thinking holy shite the man has some serious contacts in getting it for that
I think I’ve had it on 1-2 occasions and it is sublime. Sounds like an Aussie GG taste-off is needed!
Hi Adam,
This is a very interesting comment and somewhat surprising. I have always felt that for the large part the rest of the world have not ‘understood’ the style of our Rieslings and that we were out on a wing. As you maybe aware Riesling was I think the most widely planted white variety in Australia until the early 90s during the white wine boom, but it’s popularity has waned despite it often been held up by many in the trade as our best white wine.
I do think part of its success is that the dry style suits our warm climate and the Clare and Eden Valleys in particular, with their high diurnal variation and dry summer/autumns are perfect for the variety.
I have noted though that there seems to be a move to a drier expression from some German producers and perhaps they are taking a note of what we are doing. Ernst Loosen and I think Egon Muller are regular visitors and producers of Australian Riesling I believe.
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It feels like there is sort of a ceiling to the global demand for riesling, no matter how great it is or some people think it is.
I don’t think the curve is going to bend way out like pinot noir did or something. Even most knowledgeable wine people I know who think highly of Riesling rarely drink it.
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They’re just so elegant. It’s not just that they’re bone dry (I think I’ve had one Aussie Riesling that showed hints of sweetness out of all the ones I’ve tried), but they just feel fresh, not at all lumbering or big like you’d expect from a hotter climate. Floral, zesty, focused.
Worth noticing is that Australia also had a classification anomaly - Riesling was a name used for any white wine. It was a generic term. Only about 25 years ago did they finally manage to change the designation rules so that “Riesling” now meant it actually contained Riesling. Considering that major confusing element, it’s remarkable how far they’ve managed to elevate the genre since (not saying Riesling is a new thing there, quite the contrary - it’s one of the nations that has grown it the longest outside of Europe). But guess what - so has California. Read the harvest reports from the beginning of time, and you’ll see that California grew three things mainly: Zinfandel, Riesling and Mission. Which is why, coincidentally, these are the heritage varieties I focus on. 
Well, I totally understand and love your style! And I think people will eventually do so everywhere. I can’t think of any market where a sweet wine has displaced a drier wine in the last 100 years, which is probably why the GG producers are moving that way. At a glacial pace, in my view. 
I digress.
You do mention something interesting though - the ceiling Riesling hits. The baggage and connotations are so severe, and so all-engulfing, so once-bitten-twice-shy, that it’s still very hard to punch through to new customers. I’m lucky, my Rieslings tends to sell out. But it’s to the terminally included, I fear. People who are already into Riesling. Trying to get a new customer, choosing between a Sauv Blanc/Chard to move over to a Riesling, is still a huge uphill battle.
As an aside: one of my pet peeves is all the somms and YouTube influencers banding the “not all Riesling is sweet, you know”, to try to educate you and speak down to you. But guess what - all Riesling IS sweet. This is an instance where the customers are actually totally right and the somms and influencers are lost. So no wonder they’re weary - they’ve been had too many times.
If you want dry, you’re only true bet is to drink Australian Rieslings! 
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Thanks Adam,
Elegant usually aligns with my preference!
Even though I planned to work on a cellar reduction (or at very least a maintain steady level) I will keep my eyes open for a bottle or two.
Indeed there are moderate temperature areas down under!
Knew about all except Riesling being popular pre probation time! But if true that Zinfandel/Trbidrag reached the west coast along with someone tracking from the former Habsburg empire then it makes sense that some Riesling would join the journey. More surprising if no Traminer joined the journey though.
Hope to get to try your wines sometime as well!
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Can you get Crawford in the US?
Can’t see anything on Wine Searcher (I’d be surprised given it is pretty scarce over here as well). Same for Petaluma Hanlin Hill, is some Rieslingfreak and Grosset available.
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I must get some, especially given that the winery is only 100 clicks up the road!
100km is a lunch run in Australia!
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Spoke to Belinda at Crawford River last week.
2018 Reserve due for release in Autumn after vintage.
2022 Estate released this week.
Looking forward to seeing the Reserve. 18 a warmer vintage IIRC.
