2023 Bannockburn Shiraz, Geelong

Made with approximately 10% whole bunch, including a portion of carbonic maceration, and matured in French hogsheads and puncheons (10% new). A medium, bright crimson ruby. More savoury, in a good way, than the '22. Aromas of dark cherry, hung meat, a little freshly churned earth and potpourri precede the palate, which is elegantly wrought, balanced and very persistent. A delicious and very well put together wine to drink now and over the next five to seven years, if not longer. Drink 2025 to 2033.

95 points Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion (Special Value), August 2025

Vibrant and lifted aromas of black and red fruits, with an earthy undertone carrying notes of herbs, cracked pepper, olives and charcuterie. The palate is medium-bodied, with finely tuned tannins and a plush, textural mouthfeel. From a cool vintage, this has plenty of lift and freshness, with a savory backbone. Drink or hold.

95 points James Suckling, August 2025

Dense ruby red core, purple hints into the rim. Wonderfully fragrant, crushed raspberry, white pepper and a hint of roasting rosemary on the nose. Very bright and tight on the palate, red fruits, white pepper and dried herbs sit at its core with a freshening acidity aerating the flow. Tannins glide along the edges and whilst it is tightly wound the finish lingers long, almost softening as it arrives. With time in the glass it relaxes, and will open further with a good decant. Drink 2027 to 2040.

93 points Stuart Knox for The Real Review, October 2025

The 2023 Shiraz is a more delicate expression thanks to the vintage. It takes a little time to open up, eventually offering complex layers of red cherry and dark earthy tones with a Szechuan pepper lift. The palate is acid driven and light in weight, with sinewy tannins and balanced spicy red cherry flavors. This wine shows promise but needs at least a couple of years to flesh out. Drink 2027 to 2032.

90+ points Angus Hughson for Vinous, January 2026

Stuart Hooper planted the first vines at Bannockburn in 1974 with a clear ambition: to produce wines that could stand alongside the great estates of Burgundy. Fifty years on, the estate has made good on that ambition. The 26 blocks of estate vines, some of the oldest in the Geelong region, include the Serré vineyard planted in 1984. Farming across the estate is organic, yields are tightly restricted, and the Moorabool Valley's low-fertility soils and continental climate do the rest. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the foundation, but the range extends further, and every wine is made from estate fruit alone.

The Bannockburn Shiraz draws from three estate blocks: the south-facing Winery Block (planted 1990) and Range Block (1974), with some fruit from the high-density De La Roche planting (2007). The hand-picked parcels are wild fermented separately, with around 10% whole bunches. A small portion of this went through carbonic maceration. This is a combination that winemaker Matt Holmes has refined over time to lift brightness and fruit purity while preserving the inherent savoury character the Winery Block's clay and limestone soils consistently deliver. After pressing, the wine rested undisturbed in mostly seasoned French hogsheads and puncheons for 10 months, then moved to large old oak vats for a further six months before blending and bottling.

The 2023 growing season was cool and late, with significant rainfall through the early months before conditions settled. The result is a Shiraz in a more restrained, savoury register than warmer vintages — fresh and lifted on the nose with dark cherry, crushed raspberry, hung meat, potpourri and a waft of cracked pepper and rosemary. The palate is medium-bodied and elegantly wrought, with fine, gliding tannins and a long, persistent finish that rewards patience. A cool-vintage expression that is drinking well now and will continue to open up over the next several years.

A wine that rewards a good meal: slow-roasted duck with cherry and thyme, or a Provençal lamb daube with olives and orange peel. The wine's savoury spice and fine tannins are good company for anything earthy and unhurried.

Drink now through 2035.