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Bannockburn Vineyards

The New, Great Value 1314 Releases
Bannockburn Vineyards
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There was no beating around the bush when we spoke to Gus Pollard—third-generation custodian at Bannockburn Vineyards and current GM—about the latest raft of 1314 wines. “They’re vibrant, bright and characterful with a powerful sense of site,” he told us. “These are probably the best releases under the 1314 label yet.” We’ll take that!  

 

The 2024 season saw a return to decent volumes after four slim years at Bannockburn—so lean the team wasn’t able to make the full 1314 range in 2023. Winemaker Matt Holmes says this warmer vintage delivers plenty of flavour without sacrificing any of the signature tension, purity and freshness that lovers of Bannockburn have come to expect. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are bright, charismatic and immediately appealing, while, excitingly, a Shiraz joins the 1314 ranks in 2024—at sub-$17 LUC, it’s a steal.

 

It’s worth remembering that, though the 1314 range represents what many would term Bannockburn’s ‘entry-level’ wines, all the fruit is estate-grown, with old-vine material (planted in 1976) playing a significant role in the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Then, Holmes brings the same winemaking ethos as he does the Estate and single-block wines. Great value comes as standard.

The Wines

Bannockburn 1314 Chardonnay 2024

Bannockburn 1314 Chardonnay 2024

Fruit for the 1314 Chardonnay is sourced from several blocks across Bannockburn’s organically farmed estate, including a healthy dose from the pedigreed 1976 plantings. This is a barrel selection of the estate’s 2024 crop, so the cellar practice is as it was for the estate wines. The fruit was pressed as bunches to hogsheads (20% new) for fermentation. As was the case last year, the oak is faultlessly integrated, a testament to the power of the site and soils and the skilled hand of Holmes. The wine underwent full malolactic conversion, followed by eight months of maturation on lees with no stirring. The 2024 is bright and bursting with citrus and stone fruits, with hints of richness and spice.  Tight lines and racy fresh acidity match lovely fleshy weight and supple, silky texture. This is already singing and will flourish with some time in bottle.

“This is right in the groove. It’s a definite ‘yes’ if it’s within reach. It brings more flavour than you might expect, but then Bannockburn chardonnay is rarely if ever shy. It tastes of white peach and nectarine, roasted nuts, citrus and honeysuckle. It’s not overly complicated but it’s not simple either. There’s a note of lemonade to their aftertaste, and a pastry-like note too. It’s very good. It feels unforced and yet it’s full of flavour.”
93 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“Made from a blend of fruit grown at Bannockburn from 1976, through to the most recent 2016 planting. A bright, deep-ish green gold. An attractive and open-knit bouquet of ripe nectarines, beeswax and a little lemon confit. The palate is generous, mouth-filling, balanced and long and, while it's been designed and made to drink in its youth, this should still be looking good 3–4 years from now.”
91 points, Philip Rich, The Wine Companion
Bannockburn 1314 Chardonnay 2024
Bannockburn 1314 Pinot Noir 2024

Bannockburn 1314 Pinot Noir 2024

From the gamut of the estate’s organically farmed Pinot Noir blocks planted in 1976, 1997 and 2004 to MV6, 114 and 115 clones, 1314 is a bona fide mini–Bannockburn Pinot. As is always the case, this wine sees a healthy slug of fruit from the iconic close-planted blocks (Serré and De La Terre) and comprises a selection of barrels chosen for their freshness and early-drinking appeal. The fruit fermented with 25% bunches, and a small portion was handled carbonically. The wine matured in hogsheads (20% new) for eight months. The savoury depth and pure, potent flavour so characteristic of this estate are writ large. It’s jam-packed with berries and spice, with earthy depth and some dusty rose mingling in the background. Punchy and silky in equal measure, this is classic Bannockburn Pinot with drink-me-now appeal. 

“A blend of estate fruit planted in 1976, 1997 and 2004. 25% whole bunches and 20% new oak. A pleasing crimson red. The whole bunches announce themselves the moment you pick up the glass. Aromas of tea rose and bramble together with some spiced cherries and raspberries lead onto the moreish and flavourful palate. This also has the structure to see this become softer and more complex over the next 3–4 years.”
93 points, Philip Rich, The Wine Companion
“There’s plenty of interest here but then, that’s always the case with the wines of Bannockburn. This is a twiggy, autumnal Pinot Noir with spice, earth, ash, snapped twig and cola characters running through pure, sweet red cherry fruit flavour. It’s light-ish but there’s enough to satisfy, and the drinkability factor is high enough for me to polish off a bottle solo over the course of two nights. It’s a wine that isn’t too taxing, but still has plenty going on.”
90 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Bannockburn 1314 Pinot Noir 2024
Bannockburn 1314 Shiraz 2024

Bannockburn 1314 Shiraz 2024

Shiraz has made a couple of cameos in Bannockburn’s 1314 range over the years, but from 2024, its place becomes permanent. As with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, vine age plays a significant role in the quality here, especially considering the price. The fruit hails from 1990 and 1996 planted vines on the Winery Block. Picked for freshness at 13.5% potential alcohol, the fruit was destemmed and fermented on skins for seven days before being pressed off to mostly old hogsheads (10% new) for eight months of maturation.

This is a super-impressive release with bright, alluring colour, a vibrantly scented, complex, spice-laden nose and a seriously deep, slinky-textured yet remarkably fresh expression. Perfumed, savoury, crunchy and composed, this is a beauty; one could polish off a bottle quite easily.

“Made from fruit grown on the Winery Block at Bannockburn and matured in hogsheads (10% new). I doubt I'll taste too many better under $40 shiraz wines this year (or next) than this! A bright, medium crimson purple, this has an impressive core of dark fruits, lifted floral and white pepper notes and a little tapenade. It's equally impressive on the medium-bodied, spicy and well-balanced palate. Drink now and over the next 2–3 years.”
95 points, Philip Rich, The Wine Companion
“This is perfectly pitched for the Bannockburn shiraz drinker. Or indeed for the cool climate shiraz drinker in general. It’s sweet with fruit but laced liberally with twig, stalk, herb and undergrowth characters. It has a meaty, peppery edge too. It’s juicy up front but it pushes confidently through the finish, and all the way along the line it feels both pleasing and satisfying. We’re in very good territory here. Value? Wow, yes, absolutely.”
93 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Bannockburn 1314 Shiraz 2024
Bannockburn 1314 Rosé 2024

Bannockburn 1314 Rosé 2024

Now in its third year, the 1314 Rosé is already a mainstay of Bannockburn’s range; Matt Holmes is putting the estate’s old-vine Cabernet and Merlot vines to good use. This year, Cabernet makes up 40% of the blend, with the balance comprising equal parts Merlot, Shiraz and Riesling. In the warm, dry conditions of 2024, Bannockburn’s well-established, low-yielding Riesling vines contribute refreshing drive to the full, fleshy berry-fruit profile.

All the fruit hails from the Winery Block, with vines planted in 1981, 1990 and 1996. The soils are clay over limestone, and the vineyard is farmed organically. The Cabernet component underwent carbonic maceration to soften up the skins before being gently pressed to tank for fermentation. The other varieties were simply pressed as bunches to tank for fermentation. Maturation was short―about three months―and took place in a combination of tanks and old barrels. It's juicy, full and fleshy, bursting with sweet summer berries and cassis underpinned by a distinctive savoury tone and a lick of wet stone on the fresh finish. With plenty of weight and flavour, this will pair well with a variety of dishes, including anything with spice.

“Dust and leaf notes ripple through blackcurrant bud, citrus, jubey raspberry and sweet spice. It’s a dry rosé with lots of spice and leaf notes but with a good core of juicy fruit too. Colour-wise it sits just on the pale or orange side of crimson; it’s a fair indicator of the dry-but-flavoursome-style of the wine. There’s a meaty/bunchy/Campari-esque side to this; it’s not dominant but it’s there.This would be great with food.”
93 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
“A blend of estate cabernet sauvignon/merlot/riesling/shiraz. An iridescent salmon pink. Leaps out of the glass with its aromas of ripe red apples, blood oranges and mountain herbs. Flavoursome, gently textured and refreshing and a good accompaniment to a barbecued lamb cutlet and salads this summer.”
91 points, Philip Rich, The Wine Companion
“The nose is vibrant and fresh, giving fruit-driven notes of nectarines, peaches and watermelon rind. The palate is is light-bodied with focused acidity, showing fresh herbs, red apple skin and chalk. Stylish and friendly. Made from a blend of 40% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 20% riesling and 20% shiraz. Drink now. Screw cap.”
92 points, jamessuckling.com
Bannockburn 1314 Rosé 2024

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