It’s no longer news that Bannockburn knocked 2023 out of the park, so it should be no surprise that this vineyard’s iconic flagship wines are as good as they are this year. After all, we are talking about two of the most significant wines in the Victorian canon. As we mentioned earlier, the 2023 season offered plenty of challenges, but those difficulties are not at all evident in the glass. “The fruit quality was excellent,” winemaker Matt Holmes told us, “The wines have exceeded our expectations.” That’s putting it mildly, Matt―the wines are bloody great! The 2023 S.R.H has more tautness and linearity than is typical for this wine, but not for lack of complexity and flavour. The new vintage of Serré is so pretty: lifted from the outset and highly aromatic with a full array of heady fruit, spice, earth and integrated oak aromas. Both will cellar with the best of them. The downside: the low yields this year mean there is precious little to go around. Do act quickly if you would like to secure some of these instant classics. Our view and stellar reviews aside, it’s the opinion of Sally Hooper―estate owner and daughter of founder Stuart Reginald Hooper―that matters most to Holmes. “Sally’s the best judge of these wines, particularly the S.R.H,” he told us. “If she likes it, if she sees the standard and characters she expects to see in a great S.R.H., then that’s a big thumbs up for me.” Needless to say, Sally loves the 2023s. Indeed, the whole family believe the 2023 wines are among the best they have ever produced from each site. A fitting tribute to a special vineyard now celebrating its 50th year.