2025 O'Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling

96 POINTS

Ray Jordan - Winepilot

This exceptional wine from an exceptional vintage shows a clear distinction between it and the Watervale version from the same year. This one sort of moves into more floral bath salts characters while retaining that perfume floral note that is typical of the region. There’s a wet, pebbly, crunchy feel here with the citrus notes evident throughout. There’s even a little of that musk lolly character that we might have had as kids, but is subtle and understated. This is complex and superbly presented. One of the finest yet under this label.

96 POINTS

Ken Gargett - Winepilot

Coming from vines planted back in the 1970s, the OLW Polish Hill River Riesling tends to be the formal, and perhaps slightly austere of the pair. Always elegant, it offers even greater ageing potential. The colour is a near invisible shadow of yellow, as pale as one could imagine. A powerful style with a minerally backing, there are notes of citrus, grapefruit pith, a touch of river stones and oystershells, lemon curd, spices and florals. A steely line of acidity runs the length. The wine has focus and energy and a very long future. A stunning Riesling which will easily provide pleasure for the next twenty years.

95 POINTS

Jeni Port - Winepilot

Concentrated, elegant, with power to burn. Polish Hill River brings its A Game to a year that brought its challenges and brushes them aside in a display of quiet assurance. Fruit is fresh and nicely elevated in Polish Hill River spice. Stewed spiced apple, ruby grapefruit, pear skin, papaya, white pepper and a stony mineral edginess on the palate holds the promise of budding complexity. It’s early days but the beginnings are there, together with textural appeal that is still developing. Acidity is super charged and bright finishing with a green apple tartness to close. It’s a big lasting finish and impression for a wine that so excites from first to last.

94 POINTS

Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

This puts on a powerhouse display. Rocks, limes, hay, plenty of texture, some grip, a keen juiciness through the finish, lots of goodness. Whispers of fennel and more-than-whispers of wet slate in the aftertaste. Dry in a good way. Like this a lot.

92 POINTS

Mike Bennie - Halliday Wine Companion

Crackling and energetic, a cavalcade of citrus fruits with a distinct Japanese citrus fruit bent. Texture almost sits in that crystalline zone but for the light juiciness that emerges with time in the glass. A bit of curious lanolin character in here, a green wood sap tone, a kind of pretty, rosehip note, some frangipani in the mix, too. Quite high-toned here. It feels a little diffuse in its personality right now, a bit pale, so do give it time to flesh out and settle a bit to see further enhancement.

92 POINTS

Angus Hughson - Vinous

The 2025 Riesling Polish Hill River delivers shy yet exotic aromas of blossom and papaya with a gentle touch of spice. There is good focus and drive to follow, with some red granite and citrus tones in a weighty and sustained package. The 2025 is approachable but has staying power.