Description
Ashton Hills is a three hectare vineyard that lies in the Piccadilly Valley sub region of the Adelaide Hills on a ridge just below the summit of Mount Lofty. The estate was founded by Stephen George in 1982 and since that time it has built a reputation as one of Australia’s finest proponents of pinot noir and cool climate whites.
For over 30 years Stephen experimented with up to 25 pinot noir clones, ultimately settling on five key clones that now make the acclaimed Reserve and Estate Pinot Noirs from Ashton Hills, plus a range of awarded sparkling wines. Eight carefully cultivated rows of riesling also remain in the Ashton Hills vineyard, producing a highly exclusive and limited Ashton Hills riesling each year.
Stephen George wore two winemakers’ hats … one for his Ashton Hills wines, the other for the iconic Wendouree wines in Clare. He refered to his dry grown Piccadilly Valley vineyard as the “Burgundy of the Adelaide Hills” and his “garden”. Stephen is one of Australia’s most highly respected winemaking viticulturalists and a pioneer of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir. The result is sublime pinot noir.. unfortunately in minuscule quantities!
Stephen has now taken a step back into semi-retirement to spend more time travelling to his beloved Burgundy, and has transferred his stake in Ashton Hills to Wirra Wirra Vineyards, with its pedigree in cool climate Adelaide Hills whites and quality McLaren Vale reds. Nonetheless, he continues to reside at his home at the winery and works closely at vintage with the Wirra Wirra winemaking team to continue the tradition of producing benchmark wines from the Ashton Hills site.
“The Ashton Hills winery will always be the heart and soul of the Adelaide Hills wine region. Founder Stephen George set all the benchmarks; his relentless pursuit of myriad grape clones and varieties laid the foundation for the thriving region of today. Ashton Hills has been owned by Wirra Wirra since 2015, though it speaks volumes that Stephen still lives on the property and remains involved in its operation. This has been the most respectful of handovers, best proven by the steady and continued stream of top-tier releases.” Campbell Mattinson for Halliday Wine Companion
About this wine: The Estate is handpicked, gently destemmed to preserve as many whole bunches as possible, followed by basket press, minimal sulphur additions and maturation in French oak. The pinot fruit is destemmed via a small, customised, gentle destemmer that keeps as many whole berries as possible. The fruit is then basket pressed, and the wine is made without any sulphur additions until bottling. Some whole bunches are included, and the percentage varies according to the style of the vintage. The pinot is then matured in one and two year old barriques prior to bottling.
About the 2023 vintage from the winemaker: “For the second year in a row the Piccadilly Valley growing season resulted in reduced yields. The long, cool and wet winter pushed into December affecting flowering and a cooler than average start to the year meant the small bunches and berries needed well
into March/April to reach maturity.
Grapes were handpicked, keeping individual clones separate in small open fermenters. Some whole bunch fruit (14%) was added to ferments, enhancing aromatics and structural complexity. Fermentation was initiated by indigenous yeast (wild ferment). Each clonal parcel was basket pressed directly to a combination of new (17%) and seasoned French oak barriques with full solids. All barrels were kept on lees to build palate weight, body, texture and complexity. They were racked and blended just prior to bottling.
The complex and lifted nose features plum and fresh raspberries with hints of baking spice and wet soil. Layers of strawberry compote, rhubarb, plum, blackberries and cured meats feature on the palate. There is a hint of spice from the use of whole bunches and the long finish is supported by the subtle use of fine grained French oak.”
96 Points. Mike Bennie Halliday Wine Companion. “A lower-yield year with prolonged ripening and coolness alongside. It’s a svelte and meticulous pinot noir, tightly coiled around a strongly minerally profile with brisk acidity dragging the wine long and to a distinct, persistent finish. There’s tart red cherry, some smoky spice elements, a touch of forest floor and brambly blackberries in the mix, clove as a gentle indicator of oak seasoning and an array of exotic souk-like aromatics and flavours lending complexity. The wine is quite understated in its profile but delivers a strong sense of structure and tension, length and control. It’s a very fine pinot noir leaning beautifully into its more savoury flex. Utter charm is the result.”
95 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front “This is a powerhouse. A truly, inherently, varietal powerhouse. It shows strong fruit, strong tannin and strong oak, though all are measured, and all show finesse. Cherries red and black, peppercorns, cedarwood, smoked meat and a wild array of herbs, florals and spices. It puts up the spinnaker and then sails it on home. This is a beautiful Pinot Noir from the estate of Ashton Hills.”
RRP $87 Our Special Price $74.99 when you buy 6 or more. Limited.
