2025 Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Geelong

From vines planted between 1976 and 2007; 20% whole bunches, 25% new oak. A lovely Bannockburn pinot noir. Opens with perfumed aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, rose bush and subtle cardamom and nutmeg spice. Medium bodied on the palate, with an excellent core of fruit, yet it's equally light on its feet. The tannins are sinewy and in perfect harmony with the fruit. Very long. Delicious now and will be even better in six to 10 years.

97 points Special Value Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion

The first word that came to mind was unsweet. I’m not even sure that’s a word. This is a particularly earthen Pinot Noir with root vegetable characters running through black cherry, chicory, woodsmoke and fistfuls of roasted spices. I’m tempted to call this Pinot Noir for grown-ups but that’s a silly phrase so I’ll refrain. We get beautiful, fine-meshed, grapey tannin here, and sinewy characters, and a genuine, savoury push of flavour through the finish. I’m as certain as I can be that this wine will mature well.

95 points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Bannockburn Pinot Noir from Geelong is one of Australia’s most distinctive and sought-after cool climate reds—a wine that speaks quietly but confidently of place, vintage, and vine age. Crafted with restraint and precision by winemaker Matt Holmes, this estate-grown Pinot is revered for its aromatic lift, savoury complexity, and remarkable ageing potential.

Bannockburn Vineyards was established in 1974 by Stuart Hooper, a visionary who recognised Geelong’s potential long before it became a fine wine region. Today, Bannockburn remains one of the region’s most respected producers, known for its dry-farmed, organically managed vineyards and its unwavering focus on terroir expression. The Pinot Noir vines are some of the oldest in Victoria, grown on volcanic basalt soils with limestone influence—ideal conditions for producing wines of depth, minerality, and finesse.

The winemaking approach is low intervention and vineyard-first. Fermentation is with wild yeasts, typically with a portion of whole bunches to enhance aromatic lift and tannin structure. The wine is matured in French oak, mostly seasoned, allowing subtle spice to support rather than overshadow the purity of fruit and the savoury nuances Bannockburn Pinot is known for.

In the glass, Bannockburn Pinot Noir offers complex aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, dried rose petal, clove, forest floor, and flinty earth. The palate is medium bodied and textural, with layered red fruit, fine tannins, refreshing acidity, and a long finish that balances elegance and quiet power. It’s a wine that unfolds slowly, rewarding both contemplation and cellaring over 8 to 15 years.

Ideal with roast duck, mushroom dishes, or grilled quail, this is a benchmark Pinot Noir that defines the Geelong stylesubtle, savoury, and deeply satisfying.