Ashton Hills Vineyard is cradled in the arms of the Lofty Mountain Ranges that lie east of Adelaide, South Australia. Higher, colder, and wetter than the surrounding Adelaide Hills, the cool climate is perfect for producing classic European-style pinot noir, reisling, and shiraz. At least that’s what Stephen George maintained when he founded Ashton Hills Estate in 1982, and it’s largely thanks to his vision that viticulture has continued to thrive in the region. His company produces Estate, Reserve, and Sparkling Pinot Noir from grapes grown on its own soil, as well as a Sparkling Shiraz in association with the acclaimed vineyard Wendouree.
Another collaboration has resulted in the 2016 Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir, a blend of grapes from Ashton Hills, Blefari Vineyard, and Jim Grigg’s Cemetery Block, which is named after an adjacent cemetery. Located in the warmer, drier altitude of Uraidla, the Cemetery Block vineyard produces a rich, robust grape that compliments the silky texture and fine structured tannins of its Ashton Hills partner. The result is a medium-bodied palate with a juiciness, smoothness, and complexity that’s amazingly affordable for the quality and pedigree of the wine.
