The glorious Pikes Traditionale Riesling 2023 + all the new wines

The three Pikes 2023 Riesling wines are great. There, my job is over, let’s have a drink.

But there’s more here than just phoning in a bunch of scores and going to the pub. Instead, let’s talk about the pristine glory of great Australian dry Riesling. No other wine in this country is a better terroir showcase and at affordable prices. The 2023 Traditionale below is an ideal example of this too – a pure, intense, perfectly delineated, and utterly delicious expression of Polish Hill River fruit for just $27.

Worth your dollars every day of the week.

Pikes The Merle Riesling 2023

Merle is the Pikes top dog, and it’s an unquestioned step up. Drawn from the best fruit off the estate vineyard, there’s 0.8g/L of total acidity extra here over the (excellent) Traditionale, and it shows with this singing limey acid-shaped power. Water clear, it smells of limes – not Bickford lime cordial like Watervale, but more citrus blossom and white flowers. The statement is made on the palate, which is this cascade of lime and lime concentrate that powers through your mouth with just a little musky friskiness and a sense of chewiness. It’s a great wine and a model of Clare Riesling palate power. Best drinking: why wait? Just drink it now. 18.7/20, 95/100. 12%, $60.

Pikes Traditionale Riesling 2023

Water clear/green as well. There is 2g/L more residual sugar here, which takes it to 4g/L. Given that most people can’t taste sweetness below 5g/L, and especially not when the pH is under 3, it’s not going to ever taste sweet. But that sub-perceptible edge really does give this an edge – it’s so moreish. Talc, concentrated lime juice, some Gardenia floral, too. It’s taut, but there is this push of juiciness that makes this instantly classic and instantly delicious, with perfect lime juice delineation and unquestioned intensity. Hard to fault this classic rendition – it’s spot on in its limey intensity. Best drinking: now is perfect. 18.5/20, 94/100. 12%, $27.

Pikes Olga Emmie Riesling 2023

Off-dry style (circa 30-40g/L of residual sugar), but the balance is good, adding some Fruit Loop and preserved lemon in among the limey flavour. It’s more juicy than sweet, save for a lingering sweetened lemon juice thing. It’s a simpler wine with the sugar, but a fun and quite well-balanced drink of generous pine lime ice block captured in wine form. Best drinking: now. 17.7/20, 92/100. 9%, $27.