2023 Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay

Ashton Hills has long been one of the Adelaide Hills’ benchmark producers, carved out of a steep three-hectare site just below the summit of Mount Lofty. The Piccadilly Valley is their heartland – the coldest, wettest corner of the region and one of the best places in Australia to grow Chardonnay.

The 2023 release pulls fruit from three trusted vineyards across Piccadilly. Everything was handpicked, pressed as whole bunches and left to ferment naturally before a stretch in French oak. It’s a thoughtful, hands-on approach that keeps the vineyard voice front and centre.

In the glass it’s bright and layered – apple and nectarine at first, then peach, fennel and a savoury, saline twist. There’s a creaminess to the palate but the line of acidity keeps it all neat and composed. Right now it drinks with real energy, though there’s no doubt it will deepen with a few years in the cellar.

95 points
"This is a charming wine here, highly recommended."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)