The best of the best stand up in challenging times and Neil Pike reigns supreme from a frost-impacted 2025. Down on volume but the quality remains sky high, this is brilliance in a bottle.
I walked these rows in January. The impact of frost was telling, not to mention the severe lack of water in the region. The bunches were tiny but with Magic Hands Pike at the wheel, rest assured you're on the right bus.
Down 80% on previous vintages, only 780 bottles were produced from Pike's Polish Hill site which sits a steady one wood from the Polish Hill River Church Museum.
The focus and intensity of the fruit cannot be denied. Juicy limes are all the rage, crushed white petals, bath salts and a flash of musk. Chalky feels lay a solid foundation through the mouth with a green apple crunch, lime pith and Bickford's lime cordial. The slately minerally soils tap away in the background, but just like the Learnings Watervale, there is an incredible delicacy and polish. Every element is in precise balance. Many Rieslings call for ice-cold throwbacks, but this asks you to pause, consider and savour every drop. Please do. For the challenges faced, this is sheer brilliance and delight all rolled into one.
97/100
Region: Clare ValleySource: Sample
