Product Information:
The Serré, planted in 1984 (certified organic in 2021), is one if not the oldest high-density vineyard planting in Australia at a compressed 6,944 vines per hectare. The tight spacing and low trellising is a nod to the historic vineyards of of the Cote d'Or in Burgundy. What are the benefits of close planting you ask? The roots drive deeper, so better access to moisture in dry seasons, while reduce the reliance on irrigation. Smaller bunch and berry size, and lower grape yield per vine is means more concentration of flavour.
Speaking of, the 2023 Serré serves up vibrant and lifted aromas of berries, cherries, spice, damp earth and other 'sousbois' autumnal characters. The palate shows pure red cherries, subtle rhubarb while warming spices and fine tannin layout the framework. A beautiful expression of site and a compelling case for close planted Pinot Noir.
The fruit was handpicked on the 23rd and 24th of March, completely destemmed, and fermented on skins for 10 days, before pressing to French oak hogshead barrels of which 33% was new. The wine was left undisturbed and went through malolactic fermentation in Spring and was blended and bottled in February.
Maker:
Stuart Hooper had a vision to create a vineyard in Australia that would produce exceptional quality wines. In the early 1970s he selected a plot of land in the Moorabool Valley and planted shiraz vines. As the vineyard expanded, more land was acquired and additional grape varieties were planted. Bannockburn Vineyards, founded by Stuart Hooper, continues to thrive today, with a commitment to quality and organic farming practices. Matt Holmes joined Bannockburn Vineyards as the winemaker in 2015, aiming to produce wines representative of the vineyard's style and site with gentle inputs and minimal additions in the winemaking process.
Bannockburn Vineyards is comprised of 24 vineyard blocks, 8 grape varieties, and 16 clones. The soil is low-fertility with good drainage, allowing for controlled growth. Organic farming principles are followed, with the addition of compost to maintain vineyard balance. The soil variations range from volcanic surface debris to ancient sea beds, layered over limestone bedrock. The first vineyard was planted in 1974, making the vines some of the oldest in the Geelong region. The Moorabool Valley, where the vineyards are located, has an average annual rainfall of 540mm, primarily occurring in winter and spring. The region benefits from a maritime influence, resulting in mild temperatures and long sunshine hours. The stable, dry and low-humidity conditions during the grape-growing season allow for a mild and extended ripening period, ideal for healthy vines and gradual flavour development. The unique combination of meagre rainfall, low vigour soils, prevailing winds and close plantings contributes to the restricted yields and distinctive flavours and structures of Bannockburn wines.
Vineyard:
The 2023 growing season started off cold and wet. For the first time since 2011 their dam was full, and in fact overflowed for most of October and November (rainfall for the calendar year of 2022 was 800mm). Budburst was slightly behind average timing, but crops were down significantly: the bunch counts were low in the first place, we had a mild frost in September and the wet weather finally caught up with them via downy mildew. The rain stopped at the end of December.
The overall heat accumulation was the same (1338 Growing Degree Days) as 2021, both seasons on the slightly cooler side of average but differing in that the heat for 2023 was more toward the second half of the season. Veraison occurred in February and then they picked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling in March, then Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot in the first week of April. The picking weather was pleasant and the fruit arrived at the winery in very good condition. While quantity was down (especially in Pinot Noir) quality was good: fresh acidity, concentration, colour, tannin and steady fermentations, and seemingly warmer and drier seasons as El Niño returns.
The estate comprises 24 vineyard blocks, 8 grape varieties and 16 clones. The soil is generally low-fertility with good drainage, allowing for controlled growth but rich enough that their organic farming principles only require the addition of compost to maintain vineyard balance. Subtle but important soil variations are the result of a continuum of volcanic surface debris and ancient sea beds running to richer and darker soils, layered over predominantly limestone bedrock. The first vineyard was planted in 1974, with subsequent plantings through to the early 1980’s, making the vines some of the oldest in the Geelong region.
Like their predecessors, the team at Bannockburn do their best to express the vineyard through the wine they produce, telling a deeper story of soil and site. Their viticultural principles are based on healthy respect for the land and responsible farming, e.g the use of organic composting and straw mulching to eliminate need for herbicide sprays and the cultivation of inter-row cover crops to add soil nutrients. These principles flow through into the winery where minimal additions, wild yeast ferments and low intervention winemaking results in wines that are made with integrity and that are distinctively Bannockburn.
Nose - Red Cherries, Rhubarb, Forest Floor
Autumnal Red Cherries, Rhubarb with savoury herbaceous, foresty notes.
Palate - Strawberry, Tangerine, Smoked Cedarwood
It bursts onto the palate with juicy red cherries, tangerine and strawberry, interspersed with dried leaves, pepper and smoked cedarwood.
Finish - Dried Herbs, Pepper, Oak Spices
Sinewy and savoury and spiced, very distinctive style that is a delight to drink.
This is autumnal and sinewy and savoury and spiced, but it’s also sleek, harmonious and settled. It just feels right. It bursts onto the palate with red cherries, rhubarb, tangerine and strawberry, with inlays of dried leaves, pepper and smoked cedarwood, but it’s the soft-firm of the finish, and the way it seems to both dry and expand at once, and the way the juices keep flowing and fanning, that really mark its quality. This will be released in August 2024. It’s a top release, and it will mature beautifully. - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront.com.au, 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, 95 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Geelong, VIC
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13%
Other - Organic
