WINELIST No. 61 Dear Wine List Member, As I write this in mid-October, I’m conscious not to dwell on the past six months or so – there has been more than enough coverage of that particular topic – but rather focus on the positives, as we have much to be grateful for at Ashton Hills right now. Spring has broken through the La Nina cycle and the warm sunshine is being soaked up by the vines that have enjoyed a consistent drenching by Mother Nature since harvest. If things continue in this fashion we are well placed for an excellent crop of clean, healthy fruit in 2021. Fingers crossed. Our cellar door has been extremely busy as South Australians head out to support their regional producers and now with borders gradually opening, the interstate travellers are slowly returning. The drawcard of late has been the release of 2019 Estate and 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir. I’m confident that the trio of ’19 pinot noir - including the Piccadilly Valley Pinot – is the strongest bracket we have released since we started working with Stephen back in 2016. Stephen and Winery Manager Liam Van Pelt have formed a nice little partnership over the past couple of years and the results are showing through in the bottle. With restrictions in place around the number of people we can have at the cellar door, space can be at a premium, especially on weekends. To make the process a little smoother, we have introduced an online booking system for those who want to guarantee a spot on the busy days. You can find the details here https://www.ashtonhills.com.au/visit/. Our cellar door will remain open from Friday – Monday until we introduce our Christmas/New Year schedule – keep an eye on our Facebook page for
those times and dates. As for now, you will see Liam and his trusty sidekick, Clive on a Friday and Liza who manages the cellar door, will greet you with a smile Saturday through Monday. Having survived the onslaught with the release of the Estate and Reserve wines, Liza is preparing herself for the launch of the 2013 Sparkling Shiraz which will be on tasting from November until sold out. Around the winery we continue to invest in making Ashton Hills the best it can be. Liam and Stephen are particularly excited about a new barrel shed that will commence construction soon and hopefully be in place before vintage. Blokes and sheds – it never gets old. We hope to see you up at Ashton Hills over the next few months. Enjoy a tasting, or a glass of wine and cheese platter on the deck. There are few better places to be on a sunny day. Cheers, Andrew Kay Managing Director