Rieslingfreak No.5 Clare Valley Off Dry Riesling 2023

The fruit for this 2023 No. 5 was picked earlier to harness the natural acidity in order to balance the sweetness. It hails from the same vineyard as the Riesling No. 3 (White Hutt in northern Clare Valley) and is picked three days earlier. Thirteen grams per liter of residual sugar remain in this wine. The 2023 No. 5 is spicy and very fine, with lychee, jasmine, white tea, bath salts and nashi pear. This is fuzzy and flowery and pretty, but it has wicked line and tension through the mid-palate onwards. It's a powerful wine cloaked in softness and approachability. Not to be underestimated, there's a dual personality here and very well played. This is one of the greatest off-dry Rieslings in Australia. 10.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate