Lenswood highlights

Lenswood/Adelaide Hills
13.5% | $35
From the estate’s steep Lenswood slopes, which sit just under 600 metres in altitude, five clones harvested and 25 different ferments to small batch and blend into this fresh and flavourful style. Lovely aromatics of cherry, woodlands and Asian spices, all slipping easily into a light-hearted and spicy/peppery palate, a bit of fruit tang in there as well, fitting in neatly with a light grippy finish. All up delicious and approachable. There’s also a reserve style, the W.J.J. Pinot Noir 2022 that is a more structured and complex iteration of the variety.

Lenswood/ Adelaide Hills
11.5% | $95
Sourced from the MLRV estate vineyards, specifically from its lowest and coolest blocks. A traditional method 55% Pinot Noir/ 45% Chardonnay cuvee with more than seven years on lees before being disgorged in March this year. It’s now showing that patience in subtle autolysis characters, yet still intensely citrussed and fresh, a frothed-up mousse adding to the refreshment and textural integrity as you sip. The aged notes remain delicate throughout, a touch woodsy, with lemon curd and cream bun vibes in the finish. An excellent holiday season treat.

Lenswood/Adelaide Hills
12.5% | $97
The Shaw+Smith Adelaide Hills regional Chardonnay story has long been attached to its iconic M3 releases and now with a much-revered vineyard in the Lenswood district they are able to focus on this single vineyard, higher-altitude, hyper-refined style. It’s pale in the glass with the most delicate of florals and cut stone fruits, fine French oak in the background, subtle white nectarine with citrus flavour threading through the palate, finessed acidity and texture chiselling the wine’s definition. Hallmark S+S Lenswood character in a seriously elite wine.

Lenswood / Adelaide Hills
12.5% | $93
The forerunners of this elite Chardonnay have established it as a regional star, the 2022 judged the best wine overall at last year’s National Wine Show. This vintage is sourced entirely from the estate’s newest Lenswood vineyard, fine-tuning the white stone fruit purity of the style that in this cooler vintage seems quite delicate at first, though still floral to start, with fine citrus acidity edging the subtly flavoured palate. Barrel ferment and maturation in 40% new oak shows only in a light nutty, praline-like note, faint char and a wet-stone minerality. Lots to unravel within such a quiet achiever.

Adelaide Hills
13% | $39
Sourced from six Pinot clones grown in the elite Hills GIs of Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley, in a two to one ratio favouring the former. Each clone vinified separately and matured in French oak, 25% new, finally undergoing barrel selection of the best 85% of the wine before final blending. What results is gently floral, red cherry toned and softly spiced, with a faint char backdrop reflecting clever oak influences, a subtle grippiness in the finish noting that this is a well-intentioned, clear-sighted Pinot focused on purity of expression.

Lenswood/Adelaide Hills
13.5% | $50
From one of the pioneering vineyards in the Lenswood district, vines that have survived many a challenge and still provide for this delicious wine. Clearly generous styling, colour stepping into light gold with greenish tones, lovely ripe stone fruit flavours with delicate oak notes to back up the palate – a testament to the fruit power given the wine has spent 12 months in 50% new oak barriques. The finesse in its underlying acidity is delightful, holding some savoury notes and long textural lines. Plenty of Chardonnay wealth in the glass, with serious provenance and noted ageing capacity.

Tony Love is a writer, wine lover and proud Adelaide Hills resident.
He was named the Wine Communicators of Australia 2018 Legend of the Vine (SA), was a member of the Halliday Wine Companion reviewing team for the 2022 edition, reviews for Winepilot and judges at regional and capital city shows. He is the South Australian Wine Ambassador for the Asian-Pacific Region.