New post from Inside Burgundy - Tasting Geelong: the Australian phoenix rising from the ashes - Tom Kline

We’re excited to share a fantastic new article published on Jasper Morris's Inside Burgundy website. Written by the brilliant journalist and wordsmith Tom Kline, it explores the fascinating history of our region and features notes and scores from some of Geelong’s finest producers.

We’re honoured that our wines were prominently featured, and we’re deeply grateful to Tom for not only including us, but also for his beautiful, evocative descriptions that so thoughtfully capture the spirit of our wines.

Below is a sample excerpt — you can read the full article here: Tasting Geelong: The Australian Phoenix Rising from the Ashes.

2023, Bannockburn Chardonnay

5 Star Wine. “I reviewed this for my vertical Bannockburn tasting report back in June last year, and it’s presenting in the same excellent vein. Vibrant pale straw colour with flecks of green. Cracked wheat and hay melds with ripe lemon, peach skin and flesh, with gentle buttered toast, cedar, and subtle pastry dough in support. A lovely cut of minerality slices through the aromatic power bringing freshness and further complexity. There’s a masterful balance of tension and power to the palate. Ripe lemon, hay, white peach, and white nectarine sit within a buoyant, creamy texture before a clean line of acid pulls it to great length. Freshness and concentration in equal measure with lovely line, definition, purity and length. Drink from 2025-2038. Tasted Feb 2025.” 96 points, Tom Kline, Inside Burgundy

2023, Bannockburn S.R.H. Chardonnay

5 Star Wine. “Deep and alluring aromas of hay and sweet nettle yield to fresh ripe peach, preserved lemon, grilled nectarine, subtle kumquat marmalade and custard with pastry dough and cinnamon stick to follow. Struck match and cedar sit as a seasoning and there’s some salted hazelnut, too, adding dimension. Air brings it all together, making for an incredible complex and balanced aromatic profile. There’s good volume and concentration to a full bodied and chewy palate, coating the mouth with stone fruits, citrus preserves, lemon butter, hay and cinnamon before a constriction of it all thanks to firm phenolics and briney acidity. It’s uber-textural and powerful, though it’s architectural structure sweeps it up and drives it long through the palate. Very long, in fact. Another brilliant SRH release. Drink from 2025-2038. Tasted Feb 2025.” 97 points, Tom Kline, Inside Burgundy

2023, Bannockburn Pinot Noir

“This hasn’t moved an inch since I tasted this in June last year. Macerated strawberry, red cherry, subtle rhubarb and some stemmy spice sit above ferrous, iodine minerality. There’s lovely precision and lift to the aromatic profile. The palate is buoyant and bright with red cherry, fresh raspberry, and strawberry gliding through the mouth, supported by subtle bramble, brown spice and ferrous mineral cut. A good vein of svelte, sappy tannins provide frame and carry. It’s very vibrant, elegant and lifted overall, while still maintaining complexity and power. Drink from 2025-2033. Tasted Feb 2025.” 94 points, Tom Kline, Inside Burgundy

2023, Bannockburn Serre Pinot Noir

5 Star Wine. “Pretty aromatics lead the charge with sweet pops of raspberry and red rose before a quick underpinning of autumnal savouriness, ferrous drive and stemmy spice. It’s so compelling straight out of the gate. Air reveals tilled earth, iodine, raspberry compote, toasted hazelnut, graphite, paperbark and riverstone. The fruit and spice mix is wonderfully appealing. The palate is mouth filling but precise, with restrained power and architectural structure. Raspberry, red cherry, orange zest, rhubarb, twiggy spice and decaying leaves burst through the mouth before swathes of fine-but-firm ferrous tannins and cherry acidity constrict and funnel it all long through the mouth. This is so classy, bringing together prettiness and powerful, savoury complexity to create a harmonious and complex pinot noir that will age beautifully. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted Feb 2025.” 96 points, Tom Kline, Inside Burgundy