2025 Bannockburn Serré Pinot Noir

Bannockburn Vineyards was founded in 1974 by Stuart Hooper, who envisioned producing Australian wines to rival the world’s best. Situated in the Moorabool Valley near Geelong, the estate spans 26 vineyard blocks across diverse soils of volcanic debris, ancient seabeds, and limestone. Now among the oldest plantings in the region, Bannockburn is celebrated for its close-planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other varieties, grown with organic principles and crafted with minimal intervention to reflect purity of site. Remaining family-owned, the estate continues to balance heritage, sustainability, and innovation, producing wines of depth, character, and enduring quality.

The Serré Pinot Noir comes from Bannockburn’s iconic close-planted block, established in 1984 and extended in 1986, now certified organic. Planted to own-rooted MV6 at 1.2m x 1.2m spacing, it is believed to be the oldest high-density Pinot Noir vineyard in Australia. With north–south row orientation and complex soils of clay over weathered basalt and limestone, the site is inherently low-yielding and consistently produces wines of depth, power, and longevity. The fruit was hand-picked, fully destemmed, and fermented on skins for 10 days before pressing to French oak hogsheads, 40% new. Following natural malolactic fermentation in spring, the wine matured undisturbed before blending and bottling in February.

Other Reviews...
“Serré, planted in 1984 and extended in 1986, certified organic in 2021, planted to 1.2m x 1.2m vine spacing.”
This release is both powerful and taut. It’s also noticeably mineral, which helps give it that something extra. It offers a concentrated burst of dark cherry flavour, diving into plum, into rust, ground spice and sweet earth. It’s one of those wines that seems to hold onto you, once you take a sip, such is its grip and its authority. The fruit itself wears a corduroy shirt of cedarwood, slim-fit; the body beneath is guns out; muscular and lithe. This is serious stuff, and seriously good. Drink 2028-2033+.
96 points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

You could be fooled into thinking this is playful and light, but underneath is a serious wine waiting to unfold. Aromas of red fruit, dried flowers, citrus peel, spices and earthy complexity. The palate shows fine chalk, red fruit, spices and earth, with firm yet focused tannins and a long, refreshing finish. Old-vine character from plantings going back to 1984. A wine for today and for decades to come. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
97 points
Ryan Montgomery - JamesSuckling.com