95pts James Halliday — Clare Valley Riesling at Its Most Precise and Age-Worthy

My Wine Man on Petaluma

Petaluma is one of Australia's founding fine wine estates, established in 1976 by Brian Croser — a key figure in shaping modern Australian cool-climate winemaking. Built on single-vineyard expression and age-worthy structure, Petaluma has long been a benchmark for Clare Valley Riesling. Hanlin Hill is the estate's flagship site: a classic Clare Valley vineyard producing Riesling defined by purity, natural acidity, and long-term cellaring potential. This is a wine made to evolve slowly and reward patience.

Tasting Notes

Lemon, lemon zest and tangerine drive the core, with hints of white flowers and dried herbs adding lift and detail. The palate is focused and precise, with a steely acid backbone that gives drive, tension and a long, dry finish. The fruit is pure and concentrated, showing the classic Clare Valley structure that allows this wine to age gracefully. 95pts James Halliday.

Style & Drinking Window

Bone-dry, medium-bodied, and tightly wound with high natural acidity and fine mineral tension. Drinking beautifully now through 2030+, with the structure to reward cellaring well beyond that. No decanting required — serve well chilled at 8–10°C.

Food Pairing

The steely citrus precision and electric acidity of the 2020 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling make it a brilliant match for Waitoa Free Range Chicken Breast from My Meat Man. The wine's lemon zest brightness and mineral backbone complement the clean, lean character of free-range chicken beautifully — whether roasted with herbs and lemon, grilled with a light spice rub, or served in a fragrant Thai green curry or Vietnamese lemongrass broth.

Why This Is a Smart Buy

At HK$249, the 2020 Petaluma Hanlin Hill is a 95-point Clare Valley Riesling from one of Australia's most historic and respected fine wine estates — at a price that represents exceptional value for a wine of this quality, precision, and ageing potential. Clare Valley Riesling of this calibre is one of the most undervalued fine wine styles in the world: it ages as gracefully as great German Riesling or white Burgundy, at a fraction of the price. This is a wine that rewards those who are patient — and those who aren't will still find it utterly delicious right now.

Looking for a Different Style?

2019 Ghost Rock Riesling — a bone-dry Tasmanian Riesling with electric acidity and cool-climate mineral precision; more floral and delicate than Clare Valley.
2019 Trimbach Réserve Riesling — a bone-dry Alsace Riesling from a house est. 1626; similarly mineral and food-driven, with Old World restraint and precision.
2013 Trimbach Cuvée Frédéric Émile — Grand Cru Alsace Riesling quality with 10+ years of bottle age; for those who want the ultimate expression of aged dry Riesling.