Product Information:
The 2018 Estate Pinot Noir is described by wine writer Nick Stock as "polished and complex," while the 2018 Premium Pinot Noir takes things further, offering "greater depth, complexity, and length." This stunning Pinot Noir is bursting with aromas of pink grapefruit, pomegranate, and red cherry, intertwined with subtle spicy oak. Earthy tones and red floral notes elevate the bouquet, while the palate is plush and energetic, showcasing red cherry fruit. The wine is both powerful and elegant, with beautifully textured tannins that extend into a long, persistent finish.
The winemaking process for the Premium Pinot Noir begins with careful sorting of the bunches on arrival at the winery. Using a state-of-the-art incline destemmer, whole berries are gently transferred to open fermenters. Natural fermentation typically starts within four days, with hand plunging occurring from the outset until draining and pressing, which usually takes place 10-14 days post-harvest. The free-run wine is settled for a week before being racked into barrels using gravity. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in barrel, and the Premium Pinot is a selection of only the finest barrels, with 38% new oak used in this vintage. The wine spends 14 months in barrel before being decanted off lees via gravity, with no fining or filtration before bottling.
The 2018 vintage will be remembered for its abundance of high-quality fruit. These grapes exhibited secondary flavours that contributed to wines with a sense of femininity and length, balanced by good natural acidity. Textured and long, these wines are outstanding and will continue to improve in the cellar over the next five to ten years.
Maker:
Bass Phillip was founded in the early 1970s when the first vineyard site was selected 15 kilometres south of Leongatha. The unique combination of South Gippsland's mountains to the north and the ocean to the south creates ideal conditions for slow grape ripening. In 1998, Bass Phillip expanded with a 7.5-hectare vineyard in Leongatha’s hinterland, primarily planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along with small plantings of Gewurztraminer and Nebbiolo. Today, the total vineyard area spans just over 10 hectares. Bass Phillip wines reflect their terroir, produced with close-planted vines, low yields, and organic practices. No irrigation is used, and meticulous canopy management ensures wines of great depth, complexity, and length.
In 2020, renowned Burgundian winemaker Jean-Marie Fourrier joined the Bass Phillip team, bringing over 20 years of experience. His connection to the estate dates back to 2002 when he consulted for the domaine. Fourrier’s appreciation for Bass Phillip wines stems from their impressive showings at high-profile Burgundy tastings in Hong Kong. With family ties in Australia, Fourrier saw the opportunity to take over as a natural fit, and since 2021, he has overseen farming and production, integrating Burgundian techniques into Bass Phillip’s winemaking process while maintaining the estate's legacy as an iconic Australian producer.
Philosophy:
At Bass Phillip, winemaking revolves around simplicity, low cropping, and minimal intervention. Their wines are a true reflection of regional and vineyard characteristics. The deep mineral-rich soils of South Gippsland, combined with the region’s high humidity and cooler temperatures, contribute to the wines' length, complexity, balanced acidity, and natural minerality. Bass Phillip wines are powerful yet elegant, with mouth-filling textures and complex sweet fruit flavours. They are perfectly balanced, with lingering, clean fruit on the finish, making them exceptional for both immediate enjoyment and long-term aging.
Since 2020, Jean-Marie Fourrier has infused his Burgundian expertise into the winemaking at Bass Phillip, working alongside his brother-in-law, Adam ‘Skip’ Francis, who manages the vineyards. This unique collaboration ensures that the wines remain true to their Australian roots while benefiting from Fourrier’s experience with some of the finest wines in the world.
Nose – Violets, Plums, Mushroomy-Umami
Gorgeous perfume of violets, raspberries, plums, baking spice, and a mushroomy-umami nuance.
Palate – Pomegranate, Concentrated Cherry, Oak Spice
A plush, energetic core of red cherry and pomegranate, with a real statement of concentrated fruit.
Finish – Textured, Juicy Finish, Baking Spice
The tannins extrude smoothly, framing a long, juicy, and fresh finish with lingering spice.
While this bottling does benefit from a brief stint in a decanter or even open in glass, it takes only perhaps 20 minutes before it relinquishes its gorgeous perfume of violets, raspberries, plums, baking spice and a mushroomy-umami nuance. The palate is dense and plump, but still has an elegance and lightness to it. Tannins are beautifully textured like a cat's tongue. A complete wine to drink now–2030. Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast, 97 Points.
This has a very pure pink-grapefruit, pomegranate and red-cherry nose with a deeply spicy oak thread that sits well inside the fruit. Plenty of earth and some red flowers here, too. The palate has a very plush, energetic core of red-cherry, pinot noir fruit. A real statement of concentrated fruit. The tannins extrude smoothly and frame a long, juicy and fresh finish. Stunning pinot noir. Drink or hold. - Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com, 95 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Gippsland, VIC
Vintage - 2018
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%
