97 Points - Ken Gargett
O'Leary Walker Wines was established in 2000 by the experienced and highly regarded winemaking duo of David O'Leary and Nick Walker. Crafting small batches of wine from some of South Australia's best vineyard sites; their Clare Valley Rieslings are considered among the finest made anywhere in Australia.
This 2024 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling is a typically perfumed Clare Riesling with aromas of bath powder and a hint of musk sticks. The palate offers impressive vibrancy and intensity, with powerful florals, orange rind, lemon, lime notes with delicate crisp natural acidity rounding off this wonderfully structured wine.
"97 Points. The twin to the Watervale, this Polish Hill River Riesling, from the same stellar vintage, is spectacular stuff and brilliant buying. Trout stream clear, this is all riverstones, talc, florals, limes, spices, oystershell notes, lemon blossoms and grapefruit pith. Good intensity and a lingering, extremely long, finish, but along the way, impeccable balance and crunchy acidity. A Riesling for the ages. Drink for twenty plus years and grab as much as your cellar can hold. $35, Drink: 2024-2044+"- Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot.
"95 Points. The opposite in personality to Watervale Riesling, Polish Hill is all about Riesling energy and exuberance. Organically grown, for those wondering, Polish Hill arrives all bright and perky but underneath the citrussy exterior there is great concentration of fruit flavour. A drinker could get lost in the depths of that gorgeous middle palate such is the appeal of spiced apple with grapefruit, lemon, lime and citrus zest. Polish Hill offers a mix of spice and citrus all rolled tightly into one super perky, fresh, young Riesling. Another ripper from this top Clare Valley sub-region. Drink: 2024 - 2034. $35"- Jeni Port, winepilot.com.
"95 Points. This excellent Polish Hill River Riesling from O'Leary Walker is always a consistently high performer. The quality of Riesling in Australia is awesome and you ought to get this label on your radar. Sourced from an organic vineyard, pretty white flowers, musk and lavender, lemon-lime splice isn't far from the dancefloor either. A seductive and detailed minerally vibe ripples through the mid-palate stitching it together. Green apples, apple sours, a whisper of grapefruit and not to mention that glorious citrusy and pithy tang that clutches to a long and fabulous finish, this is classy stuff and I could neck gallons of it. Drink now to embrace its freshness but it will age gracefully if that is your thing." - Steve Leszczynski, Q Wine.
