Named after Ben’s mother, Valerie, the Matriarch of the Riggs family. 15% of the fruit was kept as whole bunch to add texture and complexity as well as a little bit of tannin weight. The wine was fermented over an 8 day period and then pressed directly to a mixture of French barriques and puncheons with 20% being new oak where it matured for a period of 6 months. Semi translucent red to dark red core with black toned edges and a light red hue. Perfumed like violet scents mix with red to dark cherry and wild strawberries followed by some forest floor, fresh herb and spicy cedar notes. Delicious dark cherry and strawberry fruits are delivered with intensity and possess a lovely supple feel. Lending further interest are notions of subtle anise, dried herbs, forest floor and spicy cedar. Excellent power wave with polished tannins and a long succulently fruited finish that’s quite savoury. Drink over the next 4-5 years. Alc. 13.5%

Showcasing the strengths of the Adelaide Hills as a premier Pinot Noir regoin, Geoff Weaver crafts a Pinot of exceptional quality and pedigree. Noted for its aromas of red fruits with hints of leather and forest floor. Amazing acid that is a driver for this pure, fresh wine.

Bright and elegant, this Pinot Noir offers aromas of cherry, raspberry and subtle spice. The silky palate delivers juicy red berry flavours, gentle tannins and balanced acidity, finishing smooth, fresh and approachable.

Situated in the Adelaide Hills, the altitude and cool conditions of Nepenthe's vineyards are ideal for growing the Pinot Noir grape. And it seems that the rest of the country is starting to cotton on to the fact that this region is producing some of the most exciting examples currently available. Full of ripe cherry and raspberry flavours with a complementing acid structure and soft tannin backbone make this Pinot ideal for food pairing on a wide scale.

Penfolds Bin 23 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir is named after the maturation Cellar 23 at Magill Estate. Bin 23 Pinot Noir is a bold, new addition to the Bin collection and promises to be a dynamic member of the Bin family - reflecting its evolving style, regional definition and the complexities of the many & varied clones of Pinot Noir.

Red cherries and strawberries along with notes of undergrowth and preserved lemon. Bright and juicy red fruit characters with a savoury back half of earth, leather and subtle dried herbs. The palate is of medium weight with graceful, fine tannins that lend it a plush quality throughout. Grapes were handpicked, keeping individual clones separate in small open fermenters. Some whole bunch fruit was added to ferments, enhancing aromatics and structural complexity. Fermentation was initiated by indigenous yeast (wild ferment). Each clonal parcel was basket pressed and filled to seasoned French oak barrels with full solids. All barrels were kept on lees to build palate, body and complexity. They were racked and blended just prior to bottling. Stephen Georges three hectare, dry-grown, Ashton Hills vineyard lies in the Piccadilly Valley sub region of the Adelaide Hills on a ridge just below the summit of Mount Lofty. Planted in 1982, its a quality site that, thanks to the humility and integrity of its gifted farmer, has been the source of some of South Australias most intriguing cool-climate wines, and certainly its most authentic and fascinating Pinot Noir. You dont need to spend much time in the Piccadilly Valley to realise why this area was granted sub-regional statusit is totally different to the rest of the Hills. In short, its much colder and wetter. Georges Estate vineyard lies at 570 metres above sea level and the vines shudder through some of the coolest vintage conditions in the country. Meanwhile, rainfall is a whopping 1200mm a year, well over double that of the Barossa. Whether its the lifted perfumes, elegant structure and Alpine freshness of the Pinot Noirs or the icy purity of the Riesling, Piccadilly Valleys bona-fide cool-climate imprint is never far away. A healthy portion of old-vines and the vineyards south-facing aspect afford George the luxury of late harvesting that plays a significant role in the personality of these wines. Terroir is one thing, how its worked is another, and Stephen George clearly has an intuitive touch and the drive to continually evolve. Most recently this evolution has resulted in George grubbing out all varieties except for Pinot Noir, and a little bit of Riesling, focusing his Pinot Noir on four specific clones selected from a line-up of 25 that he had tested. The Ashton Hills winery is incredibly basic, with an earth floor and next to no equipment whatsoever. 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 red wines are mostly raised in aged, neutral French hogshead barrels. Having already cemented his living-legend status amongst his peers and compiled a storied CV that includes his role at Wendouree (since the 1980s) and twenty five vintages at the helm of Ashton Hills, you could forgive this reclusive winemaker for taking his foot off the gas. Not a bit of it. Stephen George is in fact making the best wines of his career.