2025 Ashton Hills Gamay

93 POINTS

Tony Love - Winepilot

Sourced from a vineyard in the central Adelaide Hills district of Woodside, everything about this wine screams the lighter and brighter personality of the Gamay grape as it gains increasing traction as a regional variety to watch – and drink with an equally buoyant mindset. Wild yeast ferment, 25% whole bunches included, a portion going to carbonic maceration to lift its fragrant elements. Crimson fruits, almond kernel, cherry danish pastry, light Aperol-like edges, white pepper – a skip through a joyful spectrum of flavours – with a soft textural feathering in the finish. Smiles all round.

93 POINTS

Ray Jordan - Winepilot

Now, I know you’re going to love this wine. It’s just the fourth vintage of Gamay from Ashton Hills. And yet, despite this quite early season, it displays a lovely, vibrant, perfumed aromatic. An interesting combination, in that after fermentation with indigenous yeast and about a twenty-five percent whole bunch contribution, a small portion was also worked with carbonic maceration, and that clearly stimulated the aromatics and brought them well to the fore. It was then basket pressed and then aged in a mix of seasoned French oak and stainless steel tanks for about nine months. Beautiful, exotic aromas of red fruits on the nose. A supple, fine, and quite elegant palate that’s complemented by the subtle oak and wild yeast components, with structure coming from the whole bunch inclusions. Very tidy, current drinking wine, and don’t be afraid to serve it slightly chilled.

92 POINTS

Tom Kline - Winepilot

The fourth Gamay release from Ashton Hills. Hand harvested from Woodside. Fermented with 25% whole bunch, a small portion via carbonic maceration. Basket pressed and aged in a mix of seasoned French oak and stainless steel for eight months. Red cherry, red rose, strawberry, banana skin, cinnamon quill. Some earthy tones, but bright and fresh at its core. Steely, juicy and lifted on the palate with pretty red fruits and spice — red cherry and red rose again, ground nutmeg, mashed strawberry. Some firmness to fine tannins through a finish of solid length. There’s a touch of Pinot-like character here, for better or worse, but the Gamay tones do prevail. A lovely wine.

91 POINTS

Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

I like the juiciness of this, the balance, the extension. It’s driven by strawberry and red cherry flavours with sweet spice and musk-like accents. There’s an apple-like aspect to the acidity, and a push of juicy flavour through the finish. It’s been nicely judged texturally as well. I liked this wine from every angle but, at the same time, couldn’t quite get excited by it. Probably just me. It’s perfectly balanced, juicy with flavour, structured and clean as a whistle.

90 POINTS

Mike Bennie - Halliday Wine Companion

There's a good sense of levity and finesse to this wine. Almost 'blink and you'll miss it', in a way. Soft red-cherry fruitiness, some barely there wild raspberry, a touch of rosehip tea. You could project a little spice and dried herbs into things, too, but it is very primary, fruity and pure in its personality. A little feathery grip of tannin makes landfall. A very gentle wine, perhaps a touch too elementary, but in the right direction, and easy to get stuck into.