Growing Season
The 2025 growing season was dry and early for both the Adelaide Hills Wine Region and our Woodlands Ridge vineyard. An average winter in terms of rainfall set up the season and shaped vineyard management from budburst through harvest, little to now rain during the growing season was a bonus but the dry conditions were a challenge.  Thankfully with a large dam and back-up from underground water we had plenty of water unlike some of our neighbours.  The fruit that arrived at the winery was exceptional: clean, concentrated, and beautifully balanced. The season delivered high natural acidity, precise varietal expression, and excellent flavour intensity, despite the challenges.

Winemaking
Harvest in 2025 commenced even earlier than 2024, with picking beginning in mid February for early varieties and continuing through mid‑March.  The Pinot Noir for the Rose was harvested across two nights between 16 and 19 February 2025.  The primary Pinot Noir clone used for the wine is D5V12 and in 2025 it surprisingly produced small berries (normally large berries and heavy bunches) but developed concentrated flavours with excellent natural acidity.  Once harvested in the cool of the morning we quickly transported the grapes to the winery where it was pressed using the champagne cycle to reduce colour take-up and then sent to tank for a cool and extended fermentation lasting 38 days.  Once the ferment was finished the wine was racked off lees and then stored at a cool temperature until bottling.  No oak was used for maturation as we wanted to keep this wine as fresh and fruit driven as possible.