The 2025 season in Lenswood suited Pinot Noir well, with warm, dry conditions tempered by cool nights and the site’s natural elevation. Even ripening and low disease pressure allowed for precise picking decisions, preserving freshness and fine tannin structure. Smaller berries and modest yields delivered wines with purity of fruit, bright acidity and quiet intensity.
One-third estate fruit, the rest from growers in the Piccadilly Valley and Lenswood regions. MV6, D5V12, 114 and 115 for the clone nerds; 15% whole bunch and 15% new French oak. There's an elegance to this release. A delicate floral perfume awakens the senses first, followed by crunchy red fruit, cherry, cranberry and pomegranate. There's a wildness to it, too, polish and poise, yes, but not too much. A forest forage, you'd say. Add a dusting of dried herbs and a gentle release of orange oil, not unlike a Negroni, and you have one very smart Hills pinot.. - 94 points, Katrina Butler
