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Winebow
The Wine
From the cool, elevated slopes of Australia's Adelaide Hills comes this beautifully detailed expression of the region's Pinot Noir. Pale ruby with a translucent edge, it opens with lifted aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, raspberry, rose petal and subtle spice, supported by hints of sandalwood, forest floor and crushed stone. This aromatic clarity is a hallmark of the vintage and the site.
The palate is elegant and vibrant, offering notes of bright cherry, cranberry and pomegranate, all carried by a food-friendly acidity and ultra‑fine tannins that suggest a a wine of a much higher price. A gentle herbal thread, notes of dried rose and a touch of savory earth add complexity. The texture is silky with a long finish shaped by mineral tension and perfectly judged ripeness.
The fruit is handpicked fruit from high‑altitude vineyards, then fermented with a mix of whole berries and whole clusters to build perfume and structure. Aging in French oak (mostly seasoned) preserves purity while adding subtle shape. The 2023 season, marked by cool nights and a long growing period, produced Pinot Noir with exceptional finesse, aromatic lift and natural balance. Best enjoyed over the next five to seven years as its floral and mineral notes continue to unfurl.
Pairings: Roast duck, salmon, mushroom dishes, charcuterie, grilled chicken, and lighter preparations where bright red fruit and fine tannins complement rather than dominate. Cheese-wise, reach for soft cheeses like our Brie, Camembert or Mt Tam, washed‑rind cheeses like Red Hawk or Taleggio and semi‑firm Alpine styles like Comté, Gruyère and Appenzeller.
The Winery
Shaw + Smith was founded in 1989 by cousins Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw, who set out to craft benchmark cool‑climate wines from the Adelaide Hills. Over more than three decades, the winery has become one of Australia’s leading producers of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Pinot Noir, with a reputation for precision, restraint and site transparency.
The estate farms several high‑altitude vineyards across the Hills, including Lenswood and Balhannah, where cool temperatures, long ripening seasons and diverse soils (sandstone, shale, clay and loam) create ideal conditions for these beautifully aromatic wines. Sustainable viticulture, careful canopy management and low yields are central to their ethos.
Shaw + Smith’s philosophy emphasizes thoughtful, minimal‑intervention winemaking: hand harvesting, gentle handling, small‑lot fermentations and oak use that supports rather than obscures fruit. Their Pinot Noir program has grown steadily, drawing on both estate fruit and select growers to highlight the region’s potential for elegant, perfumed, Burgundian‑inspired styles.
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