Awards and Accolades

2015 Vintage: 91 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion
"Wild ferment, aged 11 months in French oak barriques this sits nicely in the quality and price zone. It's fresh and easy offering up snatches of florals, wild herbs and lemon rind. The palate is lightly framed, citrus with a touch of nutty leesy flavour."

From the Winery

The growing season started well with above average winter rains filling the soil profile and dams. August and spring were drier and warmer than average, giving the vines a very healthy start. Good January rains kept the vines healthy and grapes ripening. The ripening conditions, flavours and natural acids could not have been more perfect.

The finer flavours produced by these clones, in combination with the use of natural ‘wild yeast’ fermentation produce a complex and elegant wine with rich creamy flavour and tangy acidity. Palate structure and texture is further enhanced through extended lees contact. Around 80% of the blend was fermented and matured in new and 1-3 year old fine grained French barriques to add weight and texture, with the balance of the wine fermented in stainless steel to retain fruit freshness and vibrancy.

Over five generations the Hill-Smith family has been a pioneer in locating exceptional vineyard sites that maximise the personality of its wines. A favourite playground has been the Eden Valley, in the rugged and undulating high country of the Barossa where the Chardonnay fruit for this wine has been sourced. Capitalising on our experience and success with growing the original Burgundian clones in our family vineyards, plantings of these special clones in selected growers’ vineyards have now come of age for this blend.