Product Information:
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.
In regards to winemaking, the Premium Pinot Noir see bunches 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. Malo Lactic occurs naturally in barrel. The Premium Pinot is a selection of only the very best barrels of which 38% were new this year. All barrels are light toasted and extra tight grain oak. Barrels are topped and checked regularly. Wine stays in barrel for 14 months, when it's simply gravity decanted off lees via a spigot inserted at the bottom of the barrel to a blending tank. No fining of any sort, or filtration before bottling.
Fragrant potpourri of aromas, rose petals and red berry notes, with a hint of China tea; the very essence of Pinot Noir. A classic iron fist in a velvet glove palate. A lush fruit driven middle, enveloped by powdery tannins with delicious flavours that dance delicately across the palate - Bass Phillip team.
Maker:
The story of Bass Phillip starts back in the early 1970's when the first vineyard site, located 15 kilometres south of Leongatha, was selected to plant vines based on climatic and topographical observations. These observations when combined with South Gippsland's moderating influences of the mountains to the north and ocean to the south, provides the ideal conditions for slow ripening of grapes. Bass Phillip also has a 7.5-hectare vineyard planted in 1998 in Leongatha's hinterland comprised primarily of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but also some small plantings of Gewurztraminer and Nebbiolo, on a north facing slope; increasing our overall area of vines to just over 10 hectares. Bass Phillip wines reflect variety and their terroir, enhanced by close planted vines, low cropping, old vines with only the use of natural processes and sprays, no irrigation and meticulous canopy management, culminating to produce wines of depth, length and complexity.
Jean-Marie Fourrier, a renowned winemaker, joined the Bass Phillip management team in 2020, bringing his knowledge and experience to help develop fine wines with texture and complexity. Fourrier's relationship with Bass Phillip goes back over 20 years, having consulted for the domaine back in 2002. Fourrier describes his early appreciation for Bass Phillip wines, as it would often turn up as an impressive mystery wine at high-rolling Burgundy tastings in Hong Kong, so ‘when the possibility to take over came, along with that historical link – and with his brother-in-law and his wife already living in Australia – all the stars aligned.' Since 2021, with Fourrier's aussie brother in-law Adam 'Skip' Francis on the ground, Fourrier has been able to oversee the farming and production of an Aussie icon, while adding Burgundian know-how.
Vineyard:
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.
2022 was a challenging vintage with high early disease pressure. Weather conditions were wet and cool during spring/ early summer affecting flowering and fruit set, resulting in a 50% decrease in yields, but then warmed up a bit through summer and autumn. Total rainfall of 428 mm over the growing period and a warm summer kept vines in good health. The team started handpicking Pinot Noir from the Leongatha vineyard on the 7th March, finishing on the 8th April as ripening was staggered. Ripeness ranged from 13.2 -14.2 Baume, with good acid/ pH balance. Yields were a very low 2 tonne / hectare but quality was very high.
Nose - Rose Petals, Red Berries, Black Tea
Fragrant potpourri of aromas, rose petals and red berry notes, with a hint of China tea.
Palate - Intense, Ripe Red Fruits, Supple
Fruit is very intense on the palate, deep and concentrated with sumptuous ripe flavours of dark fruits backed by masses of fine-grained.
Finish - Exotic Spices, Amaro, Long Aftertaste
Expect cherries and exotic spices, chinotto/amaro, a whiff of menthol with a slinky, supple palate full of plush tannins.
Very deep and bright red-purple hues, the bouquet deep and latent with dark cherry/blackberry and violet nuances, while the fruit is very intense on the palate, deep and concentrated with sumptuous ripe flavours of dark fruits backed by masses of fine-grained, drying tannins that refresh the finish and help extend the very long aftertaste. Impressive concentration and power: very ripe but also vibrant. It will richly reward cellaring. This has some wow factor. - Huon Hooke, The Real Review, 97 Points.
As all BP wines are under cork, this and the Reserve both appeared forward and lacked freshness, opening a second bottle of each had them in tip-top condition. So, this is positively spritely with bright acidity an undercurrent to the ripe fruit flavours. Expect cherries and exotic spices, chinotto/amaro, a whiff of menthol with a slinky, supple palate full of plush tannins. Concentrated, beckoning and an excellent estate pinot. - Jane Faulkner, Halliday, 97 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region - Gippsland, VIC
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.4%
