Australian Rieslings and Semillons have really established themselves over the last 20 years and are now viewed around the world as some of the most important and age-worthy styles, and I was able to try a wide variety from some of the world’s most talented Australian winemakers, some of whom I met at a recent tasting in Central London.
Australian Riesling is well known for being vibrantly crisp, bone-dry and intensely aromatic. They have lively citrus, lemongrass and green apple profiles. The better ones balance juicy acidity with a steely minerality and are renowned for their ability to age for many decades.
The key wine producing regions include Clare Valley in South Australia, whose wines are famous for their lime-cordial zesty fruit, bone-dry structure and high natural acidity. Located at slightly higher elevation is Eden Valley, whose wines tend to be more delicate with floral aromatics, white peach and a distinct mineral or slate finish.
Then there is Great Southern in Western Australia, known for the Porongurup and Mount Barker sub-regions where winemakers produce highly aromatic wines with lemongrass, grapefruit and a soft, lingering texture.
Some of the most notable producers include Grosset Wines, who produce some of the best Rieslings in Australia with their Polish Hill and Alea labels being benchmark labels. Then there is Pewsey Vale Vineyard in the Historic Eden Valley estate, which is known for classic, single-vineyard expressions.
Jim Barry Wines on the other hand, is a Clare Valley staple producing intensely expressive, fruit-forward wines, while Rieslingfreak is very much a specialised producer that creates single-vineyard, numbered bottlings that showcase regional differences.
Wines from Western Australia
I began my tour of Australian Rieslings and Semillons with a 2025 Howard Park Great Southern Riesling from Howard Park Wines, who are very much a benchmark Western Australian producer renowned for their elegance, regional expression and meticulous craftsmanship. They have vineyards that span Margaret River and the Great Southern and are known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Riesling. Sustainability and precision winemaking is a key element, consistently delivering wines of balance, structure and longevity.
AG Oatley is the latest chapter in the Oatley family’s wine making adventures that was founded by Robert Oatley whose eldest son Sandy, now manages the business along with his daughter Nicky, producing wines where classic grape varieties are matched to the leading wine regions of Australia. I tried their 2024 Robert Oatley Great Southern Riesling.
Founded in 2005, Cherubino in Frankland River, is family-owned and farm-focused. They produce wines with great depth and have earned a reputation for innovation and success in the Australian wine industry. The 2023 Uovo Riesling I tried reinforced this.
Forest Hill Vineyard, also in Frankland River, was first planted in the late 1960s and bought by the Lyons family in 1996. The 40-hectare estate is currently headed up by Guy Lyons and is an accredited James Halliday 5-Star winery. Forest Hill produce elegant wines of the highest calibre, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Gewürztraminer. I tried their 2024 Forest Hill Vineyard, Estate Riesling which is deceptively sweet to the nose but a little oaky to taste.
Harewood Estate produces elegant, cool-climate Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and I got to try their superb 2016 Harewood Porongurup Riesling.
Wines from South Australia
Rieslingfreak have a genuine passion for Riesling and a real sensitivity to its versality and the influence of a vineyard landscape. As a result, Rieslingfreak has become integral to the Australian Riesling story. Having started in 2009, this passion project has grown and now consists of a portfolio of a dozen wines denoting region, single vineyard or style and the origin of each can be traced to vineyards in Clare Valley and Eden Valley, Australia’s premier Riesling regions. The 2025 Rieslingfreak No. 33 Riesling I tasted proved just how good their wines are.
Langmeil Winery in Eden Valley, South Australia, run by the Lindner family, have been producing wine for six generations with a genuine commitment to quality and I got to try their excellent 2025 Langmeil Barossa Wattle Brae Eden Valley Riesling.
Also located in Southern Australia, Peter Lehmann founded his winery in 1979 to help Barossa growers during a grape oversupply crisis and became known as the man who “saved Barossa”. Fast forward to 2026 and head winemaker Brett Schutz produces terroir-driven wines from grapes that are sourced across their Barossa family of growers. I really liked both the 2017 Peter Lehmann Masters Margaret Semillon, Barossa Valley and 2018 Peter Lehmann Masters Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley.
Staying in Southern Australia, Wakefield Wines is named after the Wakefield River that runs through the Taylor family’s Clare Valley estate. The winery’s benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are central to its long-term vision. In addition, their commitment to Riesling and Chardonnay continues to drive refinement and innovation which can be seen their very drinkable 2024 Wakefield St Andrews Riesling which had rather nice minerally taste to it.
Based in Barossa Valley, Chaffey Bros. Wine Co. is a modern Australian winery founded in 2010 by brothers Daniel Chaffey and Theo Chaffey. The winery focuses on small-batch wines sourced mainly from Eden Valley and Barossa vineyards and are known for expressive Riesling and Syrah. You will find that their wines tend to reference classic European styles but at the same time retaining a distinctly Australian identity like the 2023 Chaffey Bros Triplepunkt Riesling I tried.
Pikes Wines was established back in 1984 by brothers Andrew and Neil Pike and remains to this day proudly family owned and operated on a 130-hectare estate that sits on the rolling slopes of Polish Hill River in the Clare Valley. The wine they produce demonstrates their commitment to character and authenticity and they brought a very approachable 2025 Pikes Hills & Valleys Riesling for us to try.
Pewsey Valley in Eden Valley, South Australia focus on Reisling, and they have been doing so since 1847, producing world class, award-winning Riesling. I got to try their 2024 Pewsey Vale Estate Riesling and 2018 Pewsey Vale The Contours, Eden Valley Riesling.
Barossa Valley, with its Mediterranean climate is home to Torbreck. 175 years of winemaking heritage and some of the world’s oldest vines in the region continue to thrive and I got the opportunity to try their 2024 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon.
Staying in the Borossa Valley, Alkina have 41 hectares of vines planted to produce Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro and Semillon with some vines dating back to the 1950s. I tasted the 2025 Alkina Kin Semillon they were showcasing which was a little too sweet for my liking.
The Barry brothers have collaborated with Erni Loosen, applying their respective winemaking techniques to each other’s fruit to produce superb Loosen Barry Riesling in Clare Valley, South Australia, and I tried their very drinkable 2022 Loosenbarry Wolta Wolta Dry Riesling.
Acknowledged old master of Riesling in Australia, John Vickery has had an illustrious career spanning over 50 years with an extraordinary awards tally of more than 50 Trophies and over 400 Gold Medals. Today, the winemaking team at Vickery in Clare Valley, maintain John’s winemaking methods and knowledge to produce some superb wines, including the 2019 Vickery Reserve Watervale Riesling I tried.
Kaesler in the Barossa Valley is 100 per cent estate owned and operated with 38 hectares of which a quarter of these plantings are over 90 years old, and I got to try their 2024 Kaesler Old Vine Semillon.
A couple of standout wines for me were from Grosset. Inspired by his love of Riesling, Jeffrey Grosset bought an old milk depot in the Clare Valley town of Auburn, founding his winery in 1981 which over the years has been transformed into one of Australia’s finest wineries. ‘Polish Hill’ Riesling has cult status, and Jeffrey has long enjoyed an enviable reputation for producing world class, age worthy wines that are organic and biodynamic. The 2025 Grosset Springvale Riesling and 2025 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling I tasted are fine examples, being more concentrated, super fresh, crisp and minerally.
Also, in Clare Valley you will find Mount Horrocks Wines, owned by winemaker Stephanie Toole, who purchased the estate in 1993 and renovated the historic Auburn Railway station as her cellar door. She acquired land in Watervale to plant her own vineyards with grape varieties that are carefully matched to each site’s soil and microclimate. Mount Horrocks is certified organic and biodynamic and produce some excellent wines such as the 2024 Mount Horrocks Watervale Riesling and 2023 Mount Horrocks Watervale Semillon I tried.
Eden Valley is home to the Henschke family who have been making wine at their estate since 1868. Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke took over running the winery in 1979 and has turned this traditional producer into one that is celebrated all around the world. The 2025 Henschke Julius Eden Valley Riesling they brought was superb.
Founded in 1997, Clare Valley based Kilikanoon Wines has become one of Australia’s leading wine producers and was named “Best Australian Producer” in 2022 for a record ninth time at the Mundus Vini International Wine Awards. Kilikanoon has been rated a “Five Red-Star Winery” for a record 18th year by James Halliday, recognising the very best of Australian winemaking excellence and the 2024 Kilikanoon Mort’s Block Watervale Riesling I tasted demonstrates that excellence.
Wines from New South Wales
Over in Hunter Valley, New South Wales you will find the Mount Pleasant winery, which was founded in 1921 by legendary winemaker Maurice O’Shea, recognised by many as the father of modern Australian winemaking and I tried their 2019 Mount Pleasant Lovedale Hunter Valley Semillon which I found to be oaky on the nose with a grapefruit and long finish and rather nice and minerally.
In Hunter Valley, Brokenwood which was established back in 1970 was named the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Winery of the Year. This sustainable winery produces some superb wines like the rather fruity and sweet 2017 Brokenwood ILR Semillon I tasted.
Hunter Valley is also home to Tyrrell’s who have been producing wine for over 160 years, founded by English-immigrant Edward Tyrrell who first planted the vines during the mid-19th century. They brought with them a 2019 Tyrrell’s Single Vineyard Pokolbin Hills Semillon and 2019 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon for us to try.
Last and by no means least from South Australia, I got to try a really nice 2024 Jasper Hill Riesling from the Jasper Hill Estate in Heathcote, Victoria, 70 miles north of Melbourne. The winery is known for its bio-dynamically farmed 20-hectare estate which is widely regarded as being some of the finest terroir in Australia. As well as Riesling, they also produce first-class Shiraz.
Wines from Tasmania
My final stop was Tasmania to try a 2025 Stargazer Tasmania Riesling, where Samantha Connew who owns Stargazer, produces roughly half Riesling and half Pinot Noir on her eleven hectares.
In conclusion
These Australian Rieslings and Semillons are diverse enough that they can be enjoyed either on their own on a warm summer’s evening or paired with a wide variety of contemporary and traditional dishes.
I tried some exceptionally good value wines but if I had to pick a few that really stood, they would be the 2025 Grosset Springvale Riesling and 2025 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, the 2016 Harewood Porongurup Riesling, the 2017 Peter Lehmann Masters Margaret Semillon, Barossa Valley and 2018 Peter Lehmann Masters Wigan Riesling, Eden Valley, the 2017 Brokenwood ILR Semillon and finally the 2024 Jasper Hill Riesling.
You can find a good selection of these regional Riesling wines at Majestic Wine or you can browse specific Australian estates and mixed cases on the Laithwaites website and Australian Wines Online.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs by Simon Burrell
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