A traditionally wet winter, mild spring and excellent fruit set provided a great start to the 2015 vintage after four vintages with below average yields. Spring was dry and led into a very mild, dry summer with no disease, resulting in fruit with higher natural acidity, and incredible flavour and colour concentration. A dry, warm and windy start to January, however, resulted in one of the worst bushfires in the Adelaide Hills in living memory, though well away from our Lenswood vineyards. By the end of the first week, relief came with 60-75mm of rain and a record-breaking coolest January in 11 years. With the onset of veraison at the end of January, the rain was perfectly timed for the old dry-grown vineyards, and the mild weather that followed from February through to April provided for a fairytale vintage.

Vibrant, perfumed aromas of citrus blossom, frangipani, lemon and lime zest with hints of musk and stone-fruit.

The palate shows intense lime juice and fresh stone-fruit flavours, complemented by steely minerality and beautiful acidity, for a long, fine crisp finish.

Pale straw with lime hues.

PRAWN SALAD WITH FRESH PEAS, GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND BLOOD ORANGE |

***Ingredients***:

- 800g prawns
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 200g fresh peas
- 4 blood oranges
- 2 red onions
- 60ml balsamic vinegar
- 100g fresh rocket
- 6 tbsp almond paste
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- black pepper

***Method***:

1. Preheat oven at 180°C. Peel the red onions and cut into wedges. Toss in equal quantities of balsamic and olive oil. Season in salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes, stirring at the 5 minute mark. Set aside to cool in the juices.
2. Peel the oranges evenly and cut the segments out; set aside.
3. Bend one asparagus spear until it snaps. This will tell you where to cut the rest of the bunch. Discard the woody end and toss the spears in olive oil, salt and pepper.
4. Grill the asparagus until it starts to blacken slightly, then set aside.
5. Take the fresh peas out of their pods and blanch in hot water for 30 seconds then refresh in cold running water and set aside.
6. Make a dressing with the almond paste and about ¼ cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk until emulsified.
7. Toss the prawns in olive oil, salt and pepper and grill for 1 minute on each side.
8. Place the cooked prawns, grilled asparagus, peas, roasted onions and rocket in a bowl and dress with the almond dressing.
9. Serve on a platter and garnish with peeled orange segments.

***Serves 4.***

Fermented in tank and bottled post-vintage to preserve the delicate aromatic fruit characters.

Most of our white varieties and some Eden Valley shiraz were in before Easter, moving on to the rest of our Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills red varieties soon after, and eventually winding down at the end of April as the rain and cooler temperatures set in. The 2015 vintage has provided stunning signature riesling and elegant shiraz from Eden Valley that show extraordinary flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with the potential for excellent ageing.