Accolades and Awards

95 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion
"Gleaming straw-green; celebrates the vintage and the subregion; there are layers of lime-accented fruit and a hint of crushed lime leaves, given balance by slatey acidity. Exceptional value.

Past Vintages

2014: Past Accolades and Awards:

96 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion
"Bright, gleaming green-straw; has that extra degree of precision that Polish Hill River seems to always confer, and an intensity that is light on its feet; the slatey acidity is yet another marker that comes through strongly in this lime and lemon-accented wine thanks to extremely low pH."

94 Points - Tyson Stelzer, Tysonstelzer.com
"Alongside OLeary Walkers Watervale, this release of Polish Hill is even more enchanting in its delicacy, effortless confidence and enduring longevity. Immaculately honed linear focus highlights lemon blossom and spicy kaffir lime zest, sustained by delightfully slaty mouth feel and long-lingering persistence."

From the Winery:

Virtually next door to each other in the Polish Hill River, Martin & Joan Smith and Molloy's vineyard stand as excellent examples of what this sub-region of Clare can achieve. The soils are the thumb print on all great wines and as the road leading to both vineyards is called Blue Cutting Rd, so too is the basis of their vineyards. Grey loam acid soils over sandstone and slate make up the profile with much of the top soil littered with rock, hinting of just how tough the vines need to be to sustain growth and produce quality fruit - not to mention the work of the vigneron to provide the balance overall.

Only 9 kilometres from Watervale, the Polish Hill River region is quite a bit cooler and typically the fruit ripens 2-3 weeks later. This, combined with the soil, produces fruit with finesse and intensity. It is the slate of Polish Hill River, as opposed to the limestone of Watervale that gives rise to the point of difference between these styles.