Adelaide Hills Wine Guide 2025

Lloyd Brothers Syrah Shiraz/Syrah 2022

Heirloom Pinot Noir 2023

G 90

G 90

Medium-light crimson in colour. Immediate vibrancy, juicy strawberry and redcurrant fruits, tree sap, five spice and cedar. Buoyant on the palate with vibrant berry fruit coupled with cherry pip tannins. Finishes al dente with an attractive sarsaparilla spice. A well made wine of mass appeal. Drink now–2030 Heirloom Chardonnay 2023 G 90 Lustrous yellow colour. Intensely perfumed, apple juice, white nectarine, tinned pear, orange blossom and an air of vanilla cream cheese frosting. Instant hit of flavour, surprising zippiness misleads by the riper nose – grapefruit, nectarine and a tonic water savouriness. That initial forthright acidity is beautifully softened as the wine’s fine minerally texture allows it to slowly wane. A felicitous dinner guest. Drink now–2028 Heirloom Vineyards Pinot Grigio Pinot Gris/Grigio 2024 G 90 Super pale hay colour. A little ester showing to start, otherwise classic spiced apple aromatic notes. Fairly straight up varietal palate, a touch of phenolics and body building giving some structure to the finish. True to form. 12% alc Drink now–2028 Hesketh Wine Company Regional Selections Pinot Noir Pinot Noir 2023 G 90 Richer style, cola and Aperol-like aromas, some depth to the palate, darker cherry vibes, chewy yet with well-retained flavours. Nicely detailed, good supporting acidity, finishing with a mid-distance persistence. 12% alc Drink now–2030 K1 Reserve Chardonnay 2021 G 90 Glassy lemon. Lemon curd, lime zest, struck match and Brazil nut. Richly flavoured and sweet-fruited, lemon curd, tinned fruit salad with a pleasant moderating pithiness. Baking spice echo along the length towards a flaked almond finish. A dulcet Chardonnay. Drink now–2026 K1 Geoff Hardy Tempranillo 2022 G 90 Crimson with garnet rim. Fragrant black cherry, milk chocolate, brick dust, beginning to reveal tertiary notes of dried fig and prune. Brooding fruits on the palate are woven with a cloved thread. On the lighter end of the spectrum in body, chocolatey tannins are met with a sweet, spiced handshake. Drink now–2028

Classic Hills Syrah approach, pepper and blue fruits, the palate straightforward with the same appeal. Juicy, feathery, resonant, flavours echoing with supportive acidity and a bright-hearted energy. 14% alc Drink now–2032 Lobethal Road Chardonnay 2024 G 90 Almost translucent in the glass. An archetypical white stone-fruit nose, with added hints of lemongrass and camomile. A delicately wound palate of white nectarine, grapefruit and early picked passionfruit. Fine lacey texture, well balanced acidity and an appealing chalkiness on the finish. A bashful wine that will reveal more with time. Drink now–2026

Longview Devil’s Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

G 90

Medium-deep crimson. Lifted blackcurrant, mulberry, anise, tarragon with a hint of gravel dustiness. Juicier style in a fresh berry medley interwoven with anise and potting soil. Beautiful freshness and drive complemented by loose-knit tannins. An affable Cabernet. Drink now–2030 Longview Twin Palms Pinot Noir 2024 G 90 Lustrous raspberry hue. Juicy and bright, cranberry, redcurrant, sour cherry, red frog confectionary and breath of flint. Good reverberation of fruit, the tannins not too firm, not too soft; in the words of Goldilocks, ‘Just right’. A sundeck Pinot with wonderful crunch. Drink now–2026 Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard Down the Road Gewürztraminer 2024 G 90 Clear straw. Reticent nose, musk, rose petal, frangipani and orange blossom. A luscious wine with a natural floral sweetness contoured by a pleasant tang. A spicy flourish on the finish, the literal expression of its name, Gewürz [spice], and a

beautiful nod to the varietal. Drink now–2025 Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard Aspire Riesling Riesling 2024

G 90

Carrying its Lenswood sub-district sourcing. This variation off its estate vineyard is, as they say themselves, ‘ambitious’ in its style, the aromas showing a touch of volatility and brininess, with some mandarin-skin-like notes, the palate suggesting spice and lees texture, acidity balanced and lengthy. An unusual expression that requires an inquiring mind. 12.5% alc Drink now–2035

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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus

South Australia 2024

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