2025 Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills

The top-of-the-tree expression from Ashton Hills, judiciously selected from an array of clones and smaller ferments, blended to an exacting, top-flight style. This is cool and lithe, silky in texture and heavily perfumed. It moves with a shimmy and swagger at once. There are some dark fruits, lifted spice, saline mineral qualities and general savouriness that runs from aniseed to alpine herbs through to faint hazelnut characters. The tightest and finest of all the '25 pinot noirs; there's a sense of the exquisite here.

96 points Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion Aug '26

Ashton Hills is one of the true pioneers of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir, established by Stephen George in 1982 in the cool Piccadilly Valley. His dedication to the variety helped establish the region's reputation for elegant, finely detailed reds. Today, the winery continues that legacy under the guidance of winemaker Liam Van Pelt, with the Reserve Pinot Noir representing a particularly special selection from this remarkable vineyard.

The Reserve is drawn from carefully selected parcels of the estate's mature vines, grown at high elevation in the Piccadilly Valley. The cool conditions encourage slow ripening, preserving the delicate aromatics, natural acidity and fine tannins that make Ashton Hills Pinot Noir so distinctive.

Bright ruby red with translucent crimson edges. Wild cherry, raspberry and ripe strawberry mingle with rose petals, violet and a hint of cinnamon. The palate is silky and beautifully composed, with concentrated red berries, lively acidity and finely woven tannins. Notes of forest floor, dried herbs and subtle earthy spice carry through a long, fragrant finish.

Try it with duck and beetroot, roasted king oyster mushrooms with miso glaze, or grilled ocean trout with lentils and fresh herbs. Its elegance also makes it a lovely partner for handmade mushroom and ricotta agnolotti.

Cellaring: Drink 2028 to 2038. Its concentration, freshness and fine structure should reward patient cellaring.