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.

An attractive bouquet showing pristine citrus blossom, nectarine, custard apple and pear skin, with nuances of clove spice, hazelnut and struck flint.

The palate is perfectly poised, focussed and complex with flavours of pear and grapefruit, with underlying flavours of toasted chestnuts from well-integrated French oak. It also presents great depth, layers of creamy texture and a tight, mineral acidity as the wine carries through to a very long, lingering finish.

Pale straw with pale gold hues.

LINGUINE WITH FRESH SEAFOOD, PARSLEY AND HERBS |

***Ingredients***:

- 500gr Packet Linguine
- 250gr Prawns, Peeled and deveined
- 500gr Mussels
- 450gr Calamari, Cleaned and Scored on the inside, cut into cubes
- 1 Brown Onio, Finely Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
- 2 Large Red Chillies, Deseeded and Sliced
- 400ml White Wine
- 6 Tomatoes,Deseeded and Diced 4mm square
- 80gr Butter
- 1 Bunch Parsley, Finely Chopped
- Basil
- Extra Virgin olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper

***Method***:

1. Take about 6 litres of water to boil with about 4 tablespoon of salt in it. Once boiled, separate the pasta into the water, making sure the water is always “moving” to avoid the pasta from sticking together.
2. Whilst that is going, heat up a large pan with a tight fitting lid (or pot), large enough to fit 4 serves of cooked pasta on medium high heat.
3. Once the pan is hot, add the mussels and closely followed by the whit wine. Put the lid on and allow the mussels to steam open.
4. Once opened, strain the mussels reserving the liquid. Allow to cool slightly and pick the mussels meat out if you prefer.
5. Heat up the same pan and add olive oil. Once really hot, add oil then calamari and sauté really quickly, followed by the prawns. Slightly brown on high heat and then set aside
6. Heat the same pan up for the third time on medium heat and add oil, onions, garlic and chilli. Saute until the onions clear the ingredients are aromatic.
7. Add the tomatoes and toss through, followed by all the seafood.
8. Add reserved mussel liquid and butter and bring to a slight boil.
9. By this time the pasta should be al dente or it has a little bite/resistance to it, but no crunch.
10. Strain pasta and add to the sauce. Toss through until evenly coated and season with black pepper and sea salt. Add the chopped parsley and ripped basil.
11. Divide into four serves and drizzle extra virgin olive oil.

***Serves 4.***

Matured in 24% new and 76% seasoned French barriques for 9 months prior to blending and bottling.

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. Most of our white varieties were in before Easter, moving on to the 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 classic Adelaide Hills expressions of riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir, with varieties such as gewürztraminer showing extraordinary flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with the potential for excellent ageing.