“The Solace” polish hill river riesling 2022
Different Drop’s 2022 Australian Wines of the Year – Best New Find of the Year by Celina Irwin
Niel Pike’s fledgling Limefinger Riesling label is his new passion project set to keep him out of mischief in his post-Pikes retirement. It also allows him to keep things small and quality-focused and deliver the best examples of the grape he’s loved for so many years.
The two Limefinger wines were both excellent in 2022, however, The Solace Polish Hill River Riesling brought with it an extra degree of power and concentration. In a year of stellar South Australian Riesling releases, this stood out from the pack. It was a great new find for us this year and one you’ll likely be hearing plenty more from us on in 2023!
Halliday Wine Companion Review by Mike Bennie
Neil Pike’s Polish Hill River expression. So scintillating, so pure, so much energy, so minerally. Scents of lime (of course), pink grapefruit and honeysuckle with a whiff of warm slate. The palate is compact, racy and very long. More of those lime characters, tightly bundled with an incredible brine-meets-granite mineral character that races through the wine, extending it on lacy threads to infinity. Immense drive. It’s a superb riesling.
96 points
Australian Wine Review by Andrew Graham
Limefinger is Neil Pike’s retirement project, although I’d be pretty happy if I was still making wines like this in my retirement! It’s such a powerhouse wine, too – unmistakable Clare Riesling, but with that extra wash of stony bracing citrus that Polish Hill River delivers. Despite sitting at just 11% alcohol, it has plenty of lemony power. Maybe a bit more green pea this year? It certainly has the acid power (and at just pH 2.77, the numbers say that too). Such presence, though. What I really like about both these Limefinger wines is the acidity – even compared to the 12 other Riesling in this selection, Neil Pike’s wines seem to have this naturalness, this unfettered purity which is so appealing.
Best drinking: I like this now. 18.5/20, 94/100. 11%, $39.50 direct from Limefinger. Would I buy it? Yes.
Qwine Review by Steve Leszcynski
Neil Pike has been making Riesling from this vineyard for over 30 years. Planted in 1994, the vineyard surrounds his home. The joyous presence and focused tension of Polish Hill River is shining here in all its magnificent glory. The best new release Riesling I have tasted? Absolutely!
Neil says that the Clare Valley 2022 vintage is up there with the best he has seen including 2002 and 2012. Based on the pattern the next best will be 2032? Time will tell…
Tension is the word here. That focus, that furrowed brow of concentration exudes sophistication. Slatey, riverstone minerality and a cool steeliness add further strings to its bow. Green apples and Bickford’s lime cordial follow hot on the tail of bath powder aromas. A delicious green apple crunch and precise acidity just sizzles. Wow! This is next level.
Drink now but it will age beyond a decade. 97/100
Wine Pilot Review by Ray Jordan
Polish Hill River really does have a distinctive character in this region. This is a cracking good riesling that is part of Neil Pike’s retirement portfolio. Talcy citrus with a lime and lemon thing on the palate. There’s a slightly talcy acidity with a crunchy slaty minerality creating a lip smacking finish.
Score: 95/100, Cellar: 12 years
Wine Pilot Review by Ken Gargett
Palest yellow in colour, this is perfumed, elegant, refined, focused, balanced and immaculately structured. We have notes of lemons, spices, florals, a hint of bath salts and talc, river stones and minerals. A very fine, lacy palate – silk captured in a glass with great length and more evidence of the spectacular 2022 vintage. Bracing acidity, which never intrudes, the finish lingers and lingers while always maintaining intensity. Drink for ten to fifteen years, probably more. Pikey, who apparently now refers to himself as ‘Old Limey’, sees it as one of the best wines he has ever made. Who am I to contradict Old Limey? Pair this with a plate of oysters and that is magic that not even Dumbledore could match. 97p.
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Watervale v Polish Hill is an interesting thing. More structure in Polish, more flavour and obvious charm in Watervale. Or something like that.
So clean, pure and bright. All the cool river flowing over white pebble thing happening here, to conjure an image. A quiet spicy and floral perfume, Fresh lime and grapefruit, tight and zesty, lemongrass and lavender, with a fresh finish of excellent length and lime margarita thirst quenching quality. Beautiful. Such a good wine.
Rated : 95+ Points
Tasted : Sep 2022
Alcohol : 11%
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2023 – 2035
“The Learnings” watervale riesling 2022
Halliday Wine Companion Review by Mike Bennie
Winemaker Neil Pike has a huge track record with riesling and he knows his way around Clare Valley. His solo project is off at a flying pace in the quality stakes. Immense charm and detail here. Scents of grapefruit, ginger, makrut lime, lemongrass and a kind of candied citrus peel thing going on. Flavours are concentrated and energised with cool, mineral acidity. Tastes like gin and tonic with a big splash of pink grapefruit juice in it, or something like that. Complex and serious – this is stellar stuff.
95 points
Australian Wine Review by Andrew Graham
Sourced from Watervale, and it’s a little more forward compared to the blinding Polish Hill. A little talc, more lemon than really limey, the nose is just a bit more forward this vintage – just a little hay. But the understated palate and sheer perfection of the tight yet welcoming acidity is just great. Nice wine.
Best drinking: good now. 18/20, 93/100. 12%, $39.50.
Qwine Review by Steve Leszcynski
Neil Pike says that after 40+ years of making Watervale Riesling, you learn a thing or two, hence the name The Learnings. Limefinger is his retirement project, and if you love Riesling you ought to race to the front of the queue. This is exceptional.
Like walking through a garden of white flowers, this is aromatically stunning. Lime juice and a little lemon run their course but it’s the crisp green apple and the whip crack of acidity that smashes the brief. Talc feels, the poise and balance are thrilling. A little citrusy tang clings on as the parting gift. Watervale has proven a perfect ‘drink now’ Riesling with Polish Hill River showing better aging capabilities. But for now, give me another and pronto. Just brilliant!
Drink now but will age 5+ years. 96/100
Wine Pilot Review by Ray Jordan
This is what veteran Clare Valley winemaker Neil Pikes calls his retirement project. Pike has been making riesling for a long time so when he turns his hand to this small production you know it’s going to be good. This was a super year that produced wines of great delicacy yet with texture and intensity. The palate is beautifully presented with that slight hint of tension defining it as riesling.
Score: 94/100, Cellar: 10 years
Wine Pilot Review by Ken Gargett
Another truly superb Watervale Riesling from the great 2022 vintage. Drink now or in a decade, take your pick. The fruit comes from the St Clare Gardens ‘Honey Home Block’, northeast of Watervale at 400 metres elevation. Planted on own roots in 2002, the vineyard is deep, red loam over limestone and red clay.
A dilute, pale green/gold. Thrilling aromatics with spices, florals, summer greens and dry herbs, but it is the citrus that wins the day here – lemons, kaffir limes, glacéd lemon notes. Finely focused with bright energy and vibrant acidity driving the palate, it is very long and the balance is knife-edge. This has ten years plus and is a cracker – the score will go even higher in time. 96p.
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Ol’ Limey says a top vintage for Riesling in the Clare. Best since 2016 & 2017, and probably the best since the ‘classic’ 2012.
A lot of energy here. Lime, lime leaf and lemongrass spiciness, some pink grapefruit. It’s tight and pure feeling, grapefruit and lime, dry and stony feel, a tingle of citrus sorbet freshness, and a long flinty finish. Delicious. Electric.
Rated : 94+ Points
Tasted : Sep 2022
Alcohol : 12%
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2022 – 2032