2023 PINOT NOIR THE WINE Seductive black cherry overlaid with exotic spices lead to a palate of supple fresh berries, bright acidity and lingering fine grained tannin. The very essence of youthful, vibrant Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir from carefully selected vineyards. VITICULTURE With enough sunny days to develop ripe, intense flavours 2023 was a cool and late vintage. The 2023 Epee Pinot Noir is made up of four clones - MV6,777,114 and 115 from vineyards at Gumeracha and Lobethal. More clones equals more complexity. WINEMAKING Harvested in the cool of night and early morning, pristine destemmed fruit is tipped directly into fermenters without crushing to give a high percentage of whole berries. The fermenters are gently pumped over twice a day to keep the skins wet and promote gentle tannin extraction. After pressing the wine is kept in stainless steel tanks prior to blending to preserve freshness and vibrancy.

Zontes Footstep has been on a quest to find and grow the worlds best white varieties in regions that express the fruits best attributes for more than a decade. Our Pinot Noir comes from one of the finest cool-climate vineyards located in the Adelaide Hills. The soils in this vineyard are ancient; research estimates the soils are 1800 million years old, mostly gravel with limestone/calcium silicates and ferrous pebbles spread throughout. Hand-pruned, harvested and made it is our holotype for Pinot Noir. Winemaking Whole bunches of hand-selected and picked in the cool of the early morning dawn. Destemmed without crushing the fruit. 30% of this was the whole cluster fermented, while the remaining fruit was crushed and went through traditional open fermentation with 30 days of extended skin contact. These parcels were packed into 30% new and seasoned French oak hogsheads to mature and take on the character for seven months. Deepish red with a healthy tinge of purple hue. Dark cherry aromas, rich and ripe, fruit-driven with abundant spice, nettle characters. Red cherries and plum are to the fore followed by some subtle hints of fresh rocket and anise. Medium-bodied driven by cherry again hints of strawberry sasparilla root and dried oregano. Damson plums and cinnamon kick in with notes of cedar-like flavours and tannins. Long aftertaste of ripe red cherries/plums, subtle anise and spicy cedar notes. Absolutely delicious.

BUSH Syrah is an elegant and alluring expression of contemporary Australian Shiraz. Bright floral aromatics of wild berries, pepper and earthy spice. Medium bodied and juicy with supple tannins.

This Wild Ferment Pinot Noir is both delicate in nature and also generous in flavour with fresh cherry and rhubarb characters supported by smooth and silky tannins.

Vibrant in colour and rich in personality, this cool climate Pinot has lifted aromas of cherry and toasted spice, with bright berry flavours and a hint of earthiness on the palate. Soft tannins and a savoury finish complete the story of this layered and charming wine.

Longviews Shiraz has all the hallmarks of a cool-climate style - spicy, savoury with crunchy berry fruit. The Barbera provides a juicy, cherry-like brightness and taut acid backbone that gives the wine wonderful structure.

Tucked away nicely in the Adelaide Hills, Sidewood Estate have made an art form out of crafting some of the very best single vineyard cool-climate wines available in Australia. Owen and Cassandra Inglis purchased the boutique property in 2004 and immediately set about making their vision become a reality. Their Sidewood Shiraz displays that vision to perfection. Attention to detail is the key here which enables flavours of red cherry, currants and dark plum to shine through along with hints of cinnamon and spice. The texture is beguiling and gives promise to a wine that will age for up to a decade.

Sidewood Sparkling Pinot Noir is sourced from a single vineyard in the cool climate region of the Adelaide Hills. Grapes were selected from low yielding vines and chilled in our cold rooms within an hour of picking, before being gently pressed. Free run juice was then fermented with partial malolactic and extended time on lees prior to secondary fermentation and bottling at our winery at Nairne. This 100% Pinot Noir wine has tantalising aromas of fresh strawberry, wild raspberries and dried fig. The palate is round and beautifully balanced. Intense flavours of cherry, white peach and strawberries are matched with a crisp minerality and a touch of brioche. The natural acidity provides excellent structure and finesse with a luscious, generous mouth feel.