95 Points - Campbell Mattinson
Bannockburn Vineyards was established by the late Stuart Hooper in 1974; his vision was to create a vineyard which would produce Australian wine of a quality to emulate the great wines of France, in particular top-line Burgundies. Bannockburn continues to realise Hooper's vision under winemaker Matthew Holmes who commenced making wine at Bannockburn in 2015.
The 2023 Bannockburn Pinot Noir is an amalgamation of Bannockburn’s entire spectrum of vineyards, with fruits coming from the Olive Tree Hill, 10 Rows, Stuart Block and Anns Block. A product of an excellent yet low-yielding vintage, this is bursting with bright red fruit and with Bannockburn’s savoury/ earthy signature woven throughout, there’s enticing purity, great fruit tannin and a deliciously supple mouthfeel. Immediately enjoyable with impressive complexity, this is another top line Bannockburn Pinot Noir that will reward medium term ageing in cellar.
"95 Points. The Bannockburn winery name has an arrow, pointing upwards, beside it. This is excellent. Fine, tight, intricate, wild and precise at once. Not exactly sure how they do that but here it is, they have. Cherries, meat, soy, strawberries, twiggy spice, some volatility, a fine web of tannin, some beet characters, some undergrowth. So much going on within an overall impression of control. Mightily impressed. Tasted: Apr24. 13% alc. $75 Screwcap Drink: 2025 - 2035"- Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front.
“95 Points. A rather forward developed colour, and the nose is likewise, with savoury developed complexities of dried herbs and dry stems overlying mellow fruit and oak-derived nuances. It's very savoury and utterly delicious, with foresty/sousbois characters dominant. A very distinctive and idiosyncratic style that is a delight to drink.”- Huon Hooke, The Real Review.
