2024 Bannockburn S.R.H. Chardonnay
2024 Bannockburn S.R.H. Chardonnay

2024 Bannockburn S.R.H. Chardonnay

97 pts
Bannockburn |Geelong |Chardonnay
A flagship old-vine Chardonnay from Bannockburn, combining power, finesse and serious ageing potential.
Price:
$99.00
Stock:
Sold out
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Description

The S.R.H. is Bannockburn’s flagship Chardonnay, drawn from a tiny block of old P58 vines planted back in 1976. Named in honour of founder Stuart Reginald Hooper, it comes from a north-facing slope at Olive Tree Hill where clay, limestone and ancient marine soils give the fruit its depth and drive.

In 2024 the fruit was hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed and fermented wild in French oak hogsheads, with a portion new. Partial malolactic and ten months resting on lees (without stirring) has given the wine a beautiful mix of power and precision.

The result is a Chardonnay that feels tightly wound yet already deeply expressive. Citrus and stone fruit at its core, with a line of mineral energy and chalky grip that stretches out long. It’s the kind of wine that reminds you why Bannockburn sits among Australia’s great Chardonnay producers - complex, refined and clearly built to age.

97+ points
"With its aromas of yellow fruits, orange blossom, fennel seeds and crushed rocks, there is a lot going on here!"
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

97 points - "From a 12-row block of P58 clone, planted in '76. Matured in French hogsheads and puncheons (40% new); 100% mlf. Bright green gold. With its aromas of yellow fruits, orange blossom, fennel seeds and crushed rocks, there is a lot going on here! The palate is concentrated and vibrant, with a fine vein of acidity running through the wine. The finish is dense, chewy and long and my advice is to drink the Winery Block Chardonnay while this slowly unfurls over the next few years." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "The 12 rows of chardonnay that this wine is picked from are unique on the Bannockburn property in that they sit on an ancient sea bed. They were planted in the mid 1970s. There’s flavour and texture but, even so, this feels built for the cellar, as it customarily does. Hay, oysters, saltbush and tonic notes thread through stonefruit, cream, nougat and steel. We’re looking at a wine in mid-flight; it hasn’t yet landed and/or opened its doors to the world. It will be beautiful when it does. There’s a lot of savoury complexity going on here. A lot of X factor." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

SRH is from a distinctive 12-row selection of our oldest Chardonnay vines at Olive Tree Hill vineyard, planted in 1976. Named for Bannockburn founder and regional pioneer Stuart Reginald Hooper, this vineyard is responsible for some of our finest and most concentrated Chardonnay wines.

Viticulture

SRH Chardonnay is made from a distinctive 12-row, 2.46-acre vineyard block at the Olive Tree Hill vineyard. Planted in 1976 to clone P58, these rows are unique from the rest of the vineyard, in part due to their direct contact with an ancient seabed in the soil profile. The 12 rows sit in the middle of a north-facing slope, and the rows run east-west. These are our oldest Chardonnay vines and are profoundly influenced by the complex soils of clay, limestone and marine sediment.

Winemaking

Handpicked parcels of fruit were whole bunch pressed, settled over night, and racked to barrels for a wild yeast fermentation in French oak hogsheads; approximately 30% was new oak. Malolactic fermentation occurred on 70% of the blend, with the remainder blocked. The wine was left on lees unstirred for 10 months prior to blending and bottling.

Tasting Note

SRH is tightly coiled and powerful, with piercing drive and searing intensity. There’s a core of concentrated citrus and stone fruit, tingling with energy and layered with a mineral edge. Still a pup, this vintage is firm, focused and crackling with potential. Built for the long haul, but already showing its pedigree.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Geelong
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 97
Alcohol 13.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Bannockburn

For over 50 years, Bannockburn has been a quiet force in Australian fine wine. The story began in 1974 when Stuart Hooper discovered and planted this now-iconic site in Victoria’s Moorabool Valley. In 1978, Gary Farr joined as winemaker, bringing a Burgundian lens that helped define the estate’s identity.

Today, Matt Holmes leads the winemaking, first stepping in for the 2005 vintage and returning permanently in 2015 after Michael Glover’s departure. Holmes’ style is thoughtful and site-first - guided by organics, minimal intervention, and an intuitive feel for balance. His Chardonnays are chiseled and composed. The Pinot Noirs - more precise than ever - are some of Victoria's best.

Viticulturist Lucas Grigsby, a 30-year veteran, tends the vines with the same hands-on, regenerative mindset. Together, they farm sustainably - straw mulching, composting, and nurturing cover crops - all to express the site with absolute clarity.

Bannockburn’s single-vineyard range tells the deeper story. S.R.H. Chardonnay draws tension and salinity from ancient marine sediments. The iconic Serré vineyard, planted densely in 1984, channels a Grand Cru sensibility. These are wines shaped by place, not ego. They hum with Burgundian influence, but speak fluently in an Australian accent.

Winemaker Matt Holmes - Geelong, VIC Bannockburn

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