Rieslingfreak No. 8 Polish Hill River Schatzkammer Riesling 2026 750ml

"Lusciously sweet Clare Valley Riesling with vibrant citrus, tropical fruit and a brilliantly crisp finish."

Rieslingfreak No. 8 Polish Hill River Schatzkammer Riesling 2026 is something a little special. Inspired by the beautifully balanced, sweeter Rieslings of Germany, this is a wonderfully aromatic white that combines juicy tropical fruit, refreshing citrus and a touch of sweetness with incredibly lively acidity. The result is a wine that tastes rich and luscious yet finishes remarkably fresh. With naturally low alcohol and loads of personality, it's a brilliant choice for anyone who enjoys Riesling with a little sweetness but doesn't want anything heavy or syrupy. With 97 Halliday points for the 2026 vintage, there's plenty to get excited about!

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Fragrant lemon sherbet, fresh guava and hibiscus flowers, with hints of lime zest, grapefruit and delicate tropical fruit.

Palate: Luscious and beautifully expressive, with juicy lime, grapefruit, guava and tropical fruit flavours. A generous touch of natural sweetness is perfectly balanced by vibrant acidity, giving the wine a wonderful combination of richness, freshness and precision.

Finish: Long, crisp and refreshing, with lingering citrus, delicate mineral notes and a lively acidity that leaves the palate beautifully clean.

Halliday Wine Companion - 97 Points

Firstly, if you were drinking this style in Germany, at this level of quality, you'd likely be in the vicinity of five times this price. That aside, this is a decidedly and dedicated medium-sweet style of riesling, delivering the glossy sheen of honey on green apple skin. It has a perfume and palate of jasmine tea, lavender, candied citrus peel and cumquat. Highly perfumed, wonderfully evocative of its intended style, with precision in texture, weight and harmony of fruit, electric acidity and residual sugar. Bring on that chalky pucker to finish. Superb. Mike Bennie

Serving Suggestions

This is an absolute winner with spicy Asian dishes, particularly Thai green curry, Vietnamese salads, fragrant curries and chilli prawns. The touch of sweetness helps balance the heat, while the refreshing acidity keeps everything lively.

It also works beautifully with pâté, soft cheeses, blue cheese and fresh fruit desserts. Equally enjoyable on its own when you're after something a little different from your usual dry white.

About The Winery

Rieslingfreak was founded in 2009 by John Hughes, a winemaker whose passion for Riesling has helped establish the label as one of Australia's most exciting specialist Riesling producers.

Based in South Australia, Rieslingfreak focuses exclusively on Riesling, producing a numbered collection of wines that explore different regions, vineyards and styles. From bone dry and mineral driven to beautifully sweet and aromatic, each wine showcases just how versatile this remarkable grape can be.

The No. 8 Schatzkammer comes from Polish Hill River in the Clare Valley, one of Australia's most celebrated Riesling growing areas. Known for its distinctive mineral character, vibrant acidity and exceptional ageing potential, Polish Hill River produces some of the country's most sought after Rieslings.

The name Schatzkammer translates from German as "Treasure Chamber", a fitting name for a wine that holds a special place in the Rieslingfreak collection.

Inspired by the traditional German Kabinett style, this Riesling combines natural sweetness with bright acidity and relatively low alcohol. The 2026 vintage is particularly impressive, delivering beautifully pure fruit, remarkable freshness and a wonderfully balanced drinking experience.

Cellaring Potential

Absolutely delicious now for its vibrant tropical fruit, citrus flavours and beautifully balanced sweetness. However, the impressive natural acidity also gives this wine excellent cellaring potential.

With careful storage, it should continue to develop additional honeyed, citrus and savoury complexity over the next 10 years or more.

Details

Producer: Rieslingfreak
Winemaker: John Hughes
Vintage: 2026
Variety: 100% Riesling
Region: Polish Hill River, Clare Valley, South Australia
Country: Australia
ABV: 9.2%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Wine Body: Light Bodied
Wine Sweetness: Sweet
Wine Style: Sweet & Aromatic White