“Solace” polish hill river riesling 2024
The Wine Front review by Gary Walsh
Do I recall ol’ Limefinger telling me this is from the block he planted around his house? I know there are Magpies there, and they are quite friendly. Cool birds they are.
Ultra mineral and cool expression of Riesling here. Lime, lavender, crushed rock things, a whole lot of lime, bright and fine, lemongrass grip and zest of lime. Some aniseed and perfume on a finish of excellent length. So good. 96 points
Halliday Wine Companion review by Mike Bennie
100% Polish Hill River riesling. A very locavore experience from Neil Pike of limefinger, the fruit ‘grown on the block planted around my home’. The intensity and drive is phenomenal. A rapier thrust of lime (yes!), gingery spice, green apple at its tartest spectrum, brine and talc minerality, a chisel of slate, chalky fringes to the wine and a wildly mouth-watering finish in tow. It races along the palate, tightly wound, skeletal, refreshing and tense. Flavour is here though, an inward concentration that provides detail of fruit, acidity, minerality and the youthful profile of the wine. An experience. 97 points
Qwine Reviews
Clean and pure, the Limefinger Solace was awarded the second best wine I tasted in 2023 and this 2024 release doesn’t lose any of its predecessor’s form. A brilliant Riesling, I could bathe in it.
It’s a wine that maintains its humility as it expresses itself. Pretty scents of white field flowers and citrus blossom deliver a seductive introduction. Lime juice and lime pith fly the flag hard and are ably supported by some green apple. A riverstone minerality sits at the core with a fabulous sherbety tang adding to that supreme and moreish length. Wow. This is elite Riesling. 97 points
Winepilot review by Ken Gargett
Many years ago, in one of my many less careful moments, I managed to stick my finger in an electric socket. It was not a pleasant experience. There is a touch of the electric shock about this scintillating Riesling, but it is a great deal more enjoyable than a socket. The wine hits with the force of a shock. Wonderful stuff.
The colour here is the very palest lemon hue imaginable. The nose is fragrant, focused and beautifully aromatic. Poised and taut, there are notes of florals, limes, riverstones, lemon curd, spices and grapefruit pith. A gossamer structure, this is all steel and silk. Perfect balance, incredible length, fine acidity, the intensity never relents. Love it. Now and for the next fifteen to twenty-five years. 97 points
“Learnings” watervale riesling 2024
The Wine Front review by Gary Walsh
There’s not many people who know more about Clare Valley Riesling than ol’ Neil Pike. Maybe ol’ J Grosset and John Hughes of RieslingFreak (we never seem to get sent his wines, though I have tasted quite a few and they are great). Anyway, here we are.
It’s a lime and tonic affair here, with lime leaf, lemongrass, and fine chalky texture. It rips and delivers so much lime juice and freshness, kind of essence of Watervale with all that, also a lavender perfume rides high in the wine, and this is so succulent and lovely, with a charge of ‘mineral’ things on a finish of great length. It’s fresh and electric. Yes. And a big yes. 95 points
Halliday Wine Companion review by Mike Bennie
From fruit grown on the quirkily named Honey Home Block of St Clare vineyards. There’s this pleasing delicate, brittle nature to this wine, which translates through fine, saline minerality, a sense of ultra-pulverised pumice rock and a general tickle of attractive, frisky acidity as a currency. Green apple happens, some lime, some pink grapefruit juice in the mix – classic stuff but so even, flavoursome, bright and ready to go despite the youthful nature of the wine at tasting. Touches of florals and oatmeal barely there in the finish too. Stellar stuff. 96 points
Qwine Reviews
Jam-packed with flavour, the concentration is a step up from the usual pretty types that Watervale can deliver. An excellent Limefinger Learnings Watervale Riesling awaits.
Pithy, focused lime juice and Bickford’s lime cordial seep from the glass. More minerally than expected, there is a riverstone and quartzy thing going on. Grapefruit builds some momentum with scents of lavender and white flowers adding pretty detail. The energy and zip are something I keep coming back for. Absolutely delicious. Drink now to ten years+ 95 points
Winepilot review by Ken Gargett
The Rieslings from Limefinger, at the hands of Clare master, Neil Pike, have quickly become cult must-haves. Deservedly so.
The colour here is as close to transparent as one could wish. The nose is of medium intensity, but never waivers from elegance and refinement. The wine is fresh, balanced and very exciting. There are notes of florals, freshly sliced limes, a touch of peaches and passionfruit (if one looks hard), and vibrant citrus. A lingering finish, this is a stunning Riesling. Enjoy for the next twelve to eighteen years. 96 points
Australian Wine & Drinks Review by Andrew Graham
Superb Riesling from a Clare Valley hero. That’s it, that’s the takeaway.
Limefinger is Neil Pike’s retirement project, papyrus font and all, with the two wines under this label uniformly great. You’ll want to clear a space for this excellent Limefinger Learnings Watervale Riesling 2024 as well. Sourced from St Clare vineyards Honey Home block, it’s an uncompromising wine – for one, it’s water clear/ nigh on colourless. There is way too much supercharged lime fruit here for such light colours. Hat tip, Neil: this is special.
The Learnings smells of lime, cooked lime and a little whisper of florals. Picture perfect super-concentrated palate of, you guessed it, limey intensity hits hard and long, a perfect cover drive to the boundary for four runs. The acidity is firm but not unripe, and that mid-palate generosity is instantly alluring. Touch and go for 96 points, a superstar Riesling that I bloody loved. 96 points