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95 Points
From a favourable vintage with slow ripening conditions. The 2021 Estate Pinot Noir has fragrant potpourri of aromas, rose petals and red berry notes, with a hint of Oolong tea. The palate is delightful, classic iron fist in a velvet glove stuff. A lush fruit drives the mid palate, enveloped by powdery tannins with delicious flavours that dance delicately across the palate.
Bass Phillip's Pinot Noirs are some of Australia’s most sought after. They sell on allocation, are hard to find on the secondary market and the wines have been showered with accolades by Australian and international critics alike. In 2020 Australian wine writer Max Allen called Bass Phillip ‘the DRC of the southern hemisphere’. But the French Burgundian connections don't end there, since 2020, Bass Phillip wines has been owned by and made in consultation with Burgundy legend, Jean-Marie Fourrier, adding yet another layer of prestige to the domaine.
For winemaking bunches are carefully sorted upon arrival at the winery on a sorting table then conveyed to a 'state of the art' incline destemmer. The whole berries are gently conveyed directly to open fermenters. A natural ferment starts usually within 4 days but hand plunging commences from the start until draining/pressing. Usually between 10-14 days from harvest, the wine is drained, the skins pressed gently and combined with the free run wine which is settled for a week or so before racking to barrel using gravity. Malolactic occurs naturally in barrel. The Estate Pinot is a selection of the best barrels of our Leongatha vineyard of which 22% were new this year. All barrels are lightly toasted and extra tight grain oak. Barrels are topped and checked regularly. Wine stays in barrel for 14 months, then it simply gravity decanted off the settled lees. No fining of any sort, or filtration before bottling in July 2022.
From a favourable vintage with slow ripening conditions. The 2021 Estate Pinot Noir has fragrant potpourri of aromas, rose petals and red berry notes, with a hint of Oolong tea. The palate is delightful, classic iron fist in a velvet glove stuff. A lush fruit drives the mid palate, enveloped by powdery tannins with delicious flavours that dance delicately across the palate.
Bass Phillip's Pinot Noirs are some of Australia’s most sought after. They sell on allocation, are hard to find on the secondary market and the wines have been showered with accolades by Australian and international critics alike. In 2020 Australian wine writer Max Allen called Bass Phillip ‘the DRC of the southern hemisphere’. But the French Burgundian connections don't end there, since 2020, Bass Phillip wines has been owned by and made in consultation with Burgundy legend, Jean-Marie Fourrier, adding yet another layer of prestige to the domaine.
For winemaking bunches are carefully sorted upon arrival at the winery on a sorting table then conveyed to a 'state of the art' incline destemmer. The whole berries are gently conveyed directly to open fermenters. A natural ferment starts usually within 4 days but hand plunging commences from the start until draining/pressing. Usually between 10-14 days from harvest, the wine is drained, the skins pressed gently and combined with the free run wine which is settled for a week or so before racking to barrel using gravity. Malolactic occurs naturally in barrel. The Estate Pinot is a selection of the best barrels of our Leongatha vineyard of which 22% were new this year. All barrels are lightly toasted and extra tight grain oak. Barrels are topped and checked regularly. Wine stays in barrel for 14 months, then it simply gravity decanted off the settled lees. No fining of any sort, or filtration before bottling in July 2022.
Medium full ruby with a tinge of purple; the aromas are of red fruits, the profile lean and elegant, with bountiful drying tannins, and touches of foresty pinot mystery. The wine is lean and drying on the aftertaste. Nice elegant wine, worth a little cellaring also.
The story of Bass Phillip began in the early 1970s when the first vineyard site was selected 15 kilometres south of Leongatha, based on climatic and topographical observations. The location benefits from South Gippsland's unique conditions—mountains to the north and the ocean to the south—creating the ideal environment for slow grape ripening. In 1998, a 7.5-hectare vineyard was planted in Leongatha’s hinterland, primarily featuring Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, along with small plantings of Gewurztraminer and Nebbiolo. Together, these plantings total over 10 hectares of closely managed, low-yielding vines that produce wines with depth, length, and complexity.
Bass Phillip has embraced organic practices since 1993 and biodynamic farming since 2002. The vineyard's natural processes, including no irrigation and meticulous canopy management, allow the terroir to shine in the wines. The deep, mineral-rich soils combined with South Gippsland's climate contribute to the unique flavour profile of Bass Phillip’s wines, which are made using minimal intervention and traditional winemaking methods. Founder Phillip Jones spent years refining his craft before entering the Australian market, where his Pinot Noirs have earned top accolades from both local and international critics. Today, Bass Phillip’s Pinot Noirs are among Australia’s most sought-after, sold on allocation and rarely seen on the secondary market.
The vineyards have been organic since 1993 and biodynamic since 2002, with wine production processes at Bass Phillip guided by the cosmic rhythms that impart energy and vibrancy into the wines. The wines have deep mineral-rich soils that are natural and organic, giving the wines a unique flavour. They are made in a simple and traditional manner, with low-cropped vineyards, no irrigation and minimal intervention in the winery, resulting in wines that age superbly over extended periods. Phillip Jones, the founder of Bass Phillip, laboured for years before entering the Australian market, and his pinot noirs have often achieved the highest ratings in the land.
Overall, a very favourable vintage with the potential to make some high-quality wine. Weather conditions were largely benign, quite mild to cool during spring/ early summer but then warmed up a bit through summer and autumn. Total rainfall of 488 mm over the growing period, with around 30mm per month from January to April, keeping vines in good health. They started handpicking Pinot Noir from the Leongatha vineyard on the 5th March, finishing on the 31st March. Ripeness ranged from 13.2 -14.0 Baume, with good acid/ pH balance. However, yields were a rather high 6.9 tonne / hectare which allowed for long slow ripening.
Red fruits, the profile lean and elegant, with bountiful drying tannins, and touches of foresty pinot mystery.
A lush fruit driven middle, enveloped by powdery tannins with delicious flavours.
The wine is lean and drying on the aftertaste.