2023 Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

From a suite of neighbouring vineyards, both growers and some (most) under the care of Ashton Hills. Crisp and bright, lively and fresh, a lighter iteration of the variety but not without mettle of savouriness, textural nuance and impressive length. Offers up scents of green apple, ginger and arrowroot biscuits, lime, woody spices and faint mushroom notes. The palate lines up similar descriptors and delivers light creaminess with some chalky follow-through and a pleasing pink grapefruit twist through the minerally, briny finish. Classy wine from a tricky year.

93 points Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

When Stephen George first planted his three-hectare Ashton Hills vineyard in the early 1980s, 12 different varieties went into the ground. Years of trials led to the removal of most of these vines and today only Pinot Noir and Riesling remain. This Chardonnay is therefore not off the Estate vines, although the source block isn’t far away. This limited release comes from a small parcel of fruit from the Chapel Valley Block, adjacent the old Piccadilly cemetery, just a short hike down the road.

Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed direct to puncheon and barrique (with maximum solids), wild fermentation and then the wine is kept on lees for as long as possible to build texture and complexity. The malo is spontaneous (40% completed this year) and there was a little bâtonnage prior to bottling, which occurred without filtration. 

A limited release chardonnay from two selected Piccadilly Valley sites. Ferment was sparked by indigenous yeasts and the wine aged in Burgundian oak (predominantly puncheons) both old and new for eight months.