Bass Phillip Premium Chardonnay 2017
Bass Phillip is a renowned winery in southeastern Australia, specializing in high-quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines with an uncompromising winemaking approach driven by respect for nature. The vineyards have been organic since 1993 and biodynamic since 2002, with wine production processes guided by cosmic rhythms. The wines are made in a simple and traditional manner, with low-cropped vineyards, no irrigation, and minimal intervention in the winery. Bass Phillip wines have entered a new phase of growth with the entry of Jean-Marie Fourrier and associates in April 2020. Fourrier's winemaking philosophy follows the practices of the legendary Henry Jayer, making great wines begin in the vineyard and he will take an active and primary role in the management of the vineyards and the wine production process as Chief Winemaker of Bass Phillip wines. Bass Phillip wines are known for their vibrant fruit, considerable delicacy, and strong minerality and natural acidity. They improve with age and can be cellared for well over twenty years. The three wines at the top of the Bass Phillip hierarchy have always come from the same original 1979 main vineyard in Leongatha. Bass Phillip's first Pinot Noir was made in 1984, and the first commercial release took place in 1991. The Reserve, Premium, and Estate Pinot Noirs were separately vinified in the 1989 vintage, following five years of research into the separate vattings.
Gippsland is a wine region and zone named after a former Governor of Victoria, extending from just east of Melbourne through to the southern NSW border. The modern revival of the region's viticulture occurred in the 1970s, and it is a vast geographical region divided into three areas - South, East, and West. South Gippsland is a cool climate area with significant maritime influence, making it ideal for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. East Gippsland has a more Mediterranean style climate, while West Gippsland is the driest and warmest area. Soil compositions vary across the region and the principal varieties are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Gippsland is dominated by small family-run estates and has a reputation for fine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Bass Phillip Premium Chardonnay is a highly exclusive wine, with less than one acre of vines planted since 1979. This section of the vineyard is over 40 years old and has started to deliver complex nuances, resulting in a wine with a very long-lasting flavor that lingers cleanly on your palate. The wine has a fully integrated, complex blend of stone fruits, nuts and soft oak, riding on top of a balanced acidic backbone. It has very good depth and breadth on the palate, with nuttiness alongside the stone fruit flavors. The wine builds on the finish, becoming increasingly complex and thought-provoking. It is meant to age for 10 years or more.
Radiant gold in colour, the aromas come rushing from the glass, smacking you in the face (in the best possible way) with ripe pineapple, stone fruit, honeycomb and honeysuckle, too, backed by wet hay and warm stone. The palate is as rich as the color and nose suggest, the creamy texture sliced with bright, mouth-watering acidity, finishing on a salty seashell note. A layered, highly textural wine for rich pastas and cheeses. Christina Pickard - Wine Enthusiast, 95 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - White Wine
Varietal - Chardonnay
Country - Australia
Region - Gippsland, VIC
Vintage - 2017
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14%