Bannockburn’s Chardonnay has a track record most Victorian producers would give their eye teeth for. The quality and style can be traced back to the estate’s exceptional, organically farmed sites; the Olive Tree Hill Vineyard was planted in 1976 and abuts the S.R.H parcel, while the Winery Block was planted in 1981. Both lie on volcanic soils over limestone clays with an average vine age of around 35 years. This year’s estate Chardonnay also includes fruit from Stuart Block (1997) and Kelly Lane Vineyard (2016). Due to the minuscule yields in 2023, the Bannockburn team could not make a Grigsby Chardonnay, so fruit from this exceptional, close-planted block was also included in this wine, with all that entails.

As is the norm, the fruit was pressed as whole bunches and wild fermented in a mixture of French hogsheads and puncheons (20% new). This year, 70% of the blend went through malolactic conversion, and the wine spent 10 months maturing on lees with no stirring. Campbell Mattinson’s note below is spot on―this is a vivid, full-throttle, substantive Chardonnay, saturated in flavour with crystalline cut, fleshy richness and incredible length. A stone-cold stunner.

Bannockburn’s Chardonnay has a track record most Victorian producers would give their eye teeth for. The quality and style can be traced back to the estate’s exceptional, organically farmed sites; the Olive Tree Hill Vineyard was planted in 1976 and abuts the S.R.H parcel, while the Winery Block was planted in 1981. Both lie on volcanic soils over limestone clays with an average vine age of around 35 years. This year’s estate Chardonnay also includes fruit from Stuart Block (1997) and Kelly Lane Vineyard (2016). Due to the minuscule yields in 2023, the Bannockburn team could not make a Grigsby Chardonnay, so fruit from this exceptional, close-planted block was also included in this wine, with all that entails.

As is the norm, the fruit was pressed as whole bunches and wild fermented in a mixture of French hogsheads and puncheons (20% new). This year, 70% of the blend went through malolactic conversion, and the wine spent 10 months maturing on lees with no stirring. Campbell Mattinson’s note below is spot on―this is a vivid, full-throttle, substantive Chardonnay, saturated in flavour with crystalline cut, fleshy richness and incredible length. A stone-cold stunner.

This excellent release is an amalgamation of Bannockburn’s entire spectrum of vineyards. The 2023 includes fruit from Olive Tree Hill, planted in 1976, 10 Rows (1991), Stuart Block (1997) and Anns Block (2004). As with the Chardonnay, 2023’s paltry yields meant the team could not make De La Terre Pinot Noir, so fruit from that close-planted block was included in this blend. All the sites lie in volcanic loam and dark clay over a limestone base and are planted to various clones—mainly MV6 with a smattering of the Dijon (or Bernard) clones. The blocks fermented separately with approximately 20% bunches included and a small portion of carbonic maceration. After 7 to 10 days, the wine was pressed to hogsheads and puncheons (20% new) for 10 months’ maturation.

The dramatically reduced crop (down 50% on the already low-yielding 2022 vintage), coupled with the top quality in the glass, means this wine will be sold out in no time. It’s open for business from the word go, pure-fruited and pretty, with Bannockburn’s signature savouriness throughout. Just singing. 

This excellent release is an amalgamation of Bannockburn’s entire spectrum of vineyards. The 2023 includes fruit from Olive Tree Hill, planted in 1976, 10 Rows (1991), Stuart Block (1997) and Anns Block (2004). As with the Chardonnay, 2023’s paltry yields meant the team could not make De La Terre Pinot Noir, so fruit from that close-planted block was included in this blend. All the sites lie in volcanic loam and dark clay over a limestone base and are planted to various clones—mainly MV6 with a smattering of the Dijon (or Bernard) clones. The blocks fermented separately with approximately 20% bunches included and a small portion of carbonic maceration. After 7 to 10 days, the wine was pressed to hogsheads and puncheons (20% new) for 10 months’ maturation. 

The dramatically reduced crop (down 50% on the already low-yielding 2022 vintage), coupled with the top quality in the glass, means this wine will be sold out in no time. It’s open for business from the word go, pure-fruited and pretty, with Bannockburn’s signature savouriness throughout. Just singing.