Bannockburn Vineyards Pinot Noir 2021

Description

Since its establishment by Stuart Reginald Hooper in 1974, Bannockburn Vineyards has been at the vanguard of the Australian fine wine story, producing vineyard specific wines of the highest quality from the start. It lies 25 kilometres northwest of Geelong, located in the Moorabool Valley sub-region, just outside the township of Bannockburn. The estate comprises 26 vineyard blocks – including the iconic Serré vineyard (now the site of Australia’s oldest close-planted Pinot Noir vines) – planted to seven grape varieties, of which Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz form the key quintet. Here, Bannockburn’s predominantly mature vines are rooted in one of Victorias’ most unique low-fertility terroirs; volcanic surface debris and ancient sea beds running to richer and darker soils, layered over predominantly limestone bedrock.

As we have said before, under Matt Holmes, the style of Bannockburn Pinot Noir is now less extravagant than that of his predecessors. Today we see more purity and balance, more harmony in the glass derived in part from the benefits of organic viticulture and partly from decisions made in the winery: a more pragmatic use of whole bunches and an earlier bottling regime.

The 2021 Estate Pinot Noir was drawn from Bannockburn’s entire spectrum of vineyards (planted in 1976, 1997 and 2007), including fruit from the iconic, close-planted blocks. All the sites have volcanic loam and dark clay over a limestone base and are planted to a wide variety of clones, mainly MV6 with a smattering of the Dijon (or Bernard) clones 114, 115 and 777. This year, much of the fruit was destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeast, and just 20% whole bunches were used. Élevage played out for 10 months, primarily in Tronçais hogsheads, 25% of which were new.

We could try to attribute just how much the worth of this release is derived from either the quality of the vintage or the inclusion of Bannockburn’s best blocks, but why worry? It’s an intense, deftly structured Pinot with a deep core of red fruits, lined with tension and purity. There’s a gorgeous aromatic finesse and succulence to the red berry fruit, itself nuanced by fragrant spice and a nip of cranberry crunch. Fine, stylish tannins guide the palate, while elegant acidity pulls the flavours into a long-lasting finish. It really deserves some time in bottle to unfold yet, even today, it’s a beauty—and perhaps the most poised and focused Bannockburn Estate Pinot we have tasted at this stage of development.

“Batches of pinot noir from different blocks, wild fermented with 20% whole bunches. Matured 10 months in French hogsheads (25% new). A wine of real gravitas and presence, the ’21 reflects a most impressive year. Abundant, enticing aromas in pristine red fruits, maritime herbs, humus and dusty beets. The palate fairly bristles in fruit freshness and energy, the tannins pricking the tastebuds and laying the foundation for a long life. Oak? Yes, it’s evident in the texture and the binding but totally integrated.” 95 points, Jeni Port, Wine Companion

Our Price $67.99 – LAST BOTTLES!