96 points - "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." - Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "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." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

94 points - "The 2023 Estate Pinot Noir is stylish, red-fruited, floral and fine. It has notes of beeswax and clove, cherry and blood orange. The wine is super elegant and fine, with a flow of red fruit across the palate that feels like a harness of the cool season that birthed it. This is very good, silky. The fruit for this wine is from the Ashton Hills vineyard—hence, 'estate'—and was handpicked, keeping the clones D5V12 (42%), 777 (25%), Martini (22%), MV6 (9%) and 828 (2%) separate. It was wild fermented in small open-top fermenters with 14% whole bunches and basket pressed to French oak barriques (17% new) for nine months' maturation." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

The Estate Pinot Noir is sourced exclusively from six preferred clones on the estate. The fruit is de-stemmed using a small, customized, gentle de-stemmer that preserves as many whole berries as possible. Some whole bunches are included, with the percentage varying based on the vintage style. After fermentation, the fruit is basket-pressed directly to a combination of old and new French oak barriques. The wine is made without any additions until bottling.

Growing Season
For the second consecutive year, the Piccadilly Valley growing season resulted in reduced yields. A long, cool, and wet winter extended into December, affecting flowering. The cooler-than-average start to the year meant that small bunches and berries required time into March/April to reach maturity.

Bouquet
A complex and lifted nose featuring plum and fresh raspberries with hints of baking spice and wet soil.

Palate
The palate reveals layers of strawberry compote, rhubarb, plum, blackberries, and cured meats. A subtle hint of spice from whole bunch use complements the long finish, supported by fine-grained French oak.

Vinification
Grapes were handpicked, with individual clones kept separate in small open fermenters. Whole bunch fruit (14%) was included to enhance 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. Barrels were kept on lees to build palate weight, body, texture, and complexity, then racked and blended just prior to bottling.

Cellaring
Enjoy now or cellar for around five years to develop further complexity.

Technical Details
Alcohol: 13%