Pikes Traditional Riesling 2023 - Clare Valley, Australia

95/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review
95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
94/100 James Suckling
93/100 Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
93/100 Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
93/100 Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
Bronze - CellarTracker
95/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
95/100 Jeni Port, Wine Pilot (2021 vintage)
95/100 Ken Gargett (2021 vintage)
94/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage)
93/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
93/100 The Wine Front (2021 vintage)

5 Stars - Halliday Wine Companion
People Choice Award 2023

Gold - Melbourne Wine Show (2021 vintage)

Vegan

Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Lovely fragrant aromas of lemon, lime, bath salts, white flowers and feijoa. The palate has a real lushness of flavour, citrus, just-ripe stone fruit, lemon pith and talc. The acidity has a lively purity and drive and the length is really impressive. An outstanding wine and top value."

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit "Beautifully fine and elegant, the wine shows lemon zest, crunchy apple and jasmine aromas on the nose, followed by a brilliantly focused palate delivering pristine fruit flavours with racy acidity. It’s mouth-watering and lingering with excellent fruit purity."

James Suckling "Wonderfully fragrant nose of lemon blossom, then juicy and vibrant on the sleek and super-straight palate, this is a prototypical Clare Valley dry riesling with a lot of lime fruit and a very zesty finish."

Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion "You could rationalise that Pikes’ Traditionale Riesling is a bellwether wine that gives drinkers a good indication of what to expect from Clare riesling each year. At times unnervingly reliable. The ’22 is good gear – juicy, bright, zingy with acidity, ticklish and brisk in acid profile with juicy green apple and pink grapefruit fruitiness set around skittish, laser-like tang. Scents are good too, with floral, citrus blossom and jasmine and whiffs of lime and grapefruit again in the mix. It finds a good balance between fruitiness, refreshment factor and tension, too. A great drink right here."

Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front "It has body, it has flavour, it has lilt, it has length. Lime, apple and riverstone flavours ripple throughout, energetically for sure but with enough meander for you to have time to enjoy it. It’s racy but it’s more than that, and that’s its charm."

Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot "Exceptional value here in this Clare Valley Riesling which punches well above its weight with serious intensity of lime pith and wet stone aromas that are robust and forceful. The class is repeated on the palate with fantastic density of ripe fruit underpinned by firm acidity that drives a lengthy finish. Delicious now but has the power and integrity to also age well."

Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Very youthful in the glass. Aromas of lemon rind, white flowers, talc and jasmine. Zesty, lemony and tangy on the palate, lovely brightness and freshness, quite delicate. A lovely line of crunchy acidity rounds the flavours out very nicely. The length is impressive." (2021 vintage)

James Suckling "Bright lime and apple aromas here with a very fresh stance. Some white peach in the mix, too. The palate has a wealth of powerful lime and white-peach flavor with good depth and concentration. Impressive." (2021 vintage)

Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "Pure joy here! Lime zest, lemon pith, citrus blossom, brine, green apple skins and plenty of plush – almost ripe – stone fruit on the palate. This is generous and attractive, the acidity providing the tension and structure that it needs to elevate it into deliciousness. And delicious it is." (2021 vintage)

Pikes is a prestigious winery in South Australia's Clare Valley, established in 1984 by Neil and Andrew Pike, whose viticultural roots go back to the late 1800s. Situated in the picturesque Clare Valley, the Estate is comprised of approximately 100 hectares of rolling slopes in Polish Hill River, an eastern sub-region of the Clare Valley.
Known for its cool climate and diverse grape varieties, Pikes showcases premium wines with distinct characters and flavors due to the unique terroir and altitude.

After an almost 20-year career with Penfolds Wines and Southcorp Wine Group, Andrew joined Pikes on a full-time basis in 1998 to oversee viticultural operations and manage the growing family business.

Pikes is particularly renowned for its high-quality Riesling and other cool-climate wines, praised for vibrant acidity, citrus flavors, and exceptional aging potential. Whilst they are best known for world-class Riesling, they have been growing Shiraz and Cabernet for 35 years and have 20 different grape varieties planted on their estate, producing a wide range of wine styles to suit all tastes.

Pikes pride themselves on producing quality handcrafted wines, that reflect vintage, variety, and region. The Pike family has been producing quality wine, beer, and aerated waters in South Australia since 1886 it is a family tradition of which they should be very proud.

Their vineyards in Clare Valley grow various grape varieties, with a strong commitment to sustainable viticulture and environmental responsibility.

Their portfolio includes Riesling, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and unique blends, all crafted with a dedication to quality and craftsmanship. Over the years, Pikes has garnered numerous awards, establishing itself as a top producer in the Clare Valley, and gaining recognition both nationally and internationally for their excellent and consistent wines.

Riesling is a light-skinned, aromatic grape of German origin which is – if the majority of top wine critics are to be believed – the world's finest white wine grape variety. The Riesling vine holds a very different place in the wine world to such great grapes as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Chardonnay. While these immensely popular varieties have conquered every corner of the winegrowing world, Riesling is conspicuously absent from the core wine regions of France, Spain and Italy. Riesling's home is the regions that trace the middle Rhine and the lower Mosel, two of Europe's great wine rivers.