2025 'The Merle' Reserve Riesling Magnum

The Clare Valley endured one of its most challenging vintages, with the second driest year on record. A wet July was followed by a dry, warm spring and summer. On 17 September, frost hit our Polish Hill vineyard just after budburst. Fortunately, the early timing of the frost allowed our vines to respond with healthy shoot growth and a smaller canopy. Lower yields and careful irrigation led to full ripeness with superb flavour concentration.

Named after the family matriarch, ‘The Merle’ is selected from the best parcels of Riesling from our Polish Hill River Estate. This wine is intended to showcase the purest expression our estate grown Riesling from the vintage.

Highly aromatic, bursting with lime zest, granny smith apple, and citrus blossom. With time in the glass, the zest evolves into lime cordial, while emerging mineral notes of wet river stone and talc speak clearly of place and provenance.

Pure, concentrated lime juice is lifted by a spritz of pink grapefruit. Complex layers of ground ginger and talc-like minerality intertwine with a fine acid backbone, delivering superb balance, drive, and length.