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.