Bass Phillip Since 1979 Pinot Noir 2020

Bass Phillip is a vineyard located in the south-eastern corner of Australia and was first established in 1979 specializing in high-quality pinot noir and chardonnay wines. 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. 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. 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. Bass Phillip is a winery located in Leongatha, Victoria. The wines are known for their vibrancy and delicacy, as well as their ability to develop and evolve over time. The Estate, Premium and Reserve Pinot Noirs all come from the same original vineyard and are highly regarded by Pinot connoisseurs. The Reserve Pinot Noir is particularly intense and balanced, with a focus on natural balance and minimal intervention winemaking. The Premium Pinot Noir is aged in French Allier barriques and has a multi-layered, nuanced flavour. The Estate Pinot Noir draws fruit from a closely spaced, un-irrigated vineyard and is aged in a combination of new and old French Alliers oak. The wines are organic and biodynamic and the winery focuses on respecting the forces of nature to produce high-quality wines that are meant to age for years. ass Phillip’s wines exhibit lively fruit flavours and a delicate profile, with their character maturing and improving significantly with exposure to air through decanting or swirling. These wines do not have excessive tannins or high alcohol content when young and as the wine ages, it elegantly develops a rich intensity of flavours that culminate in a finish marked by pronounced minerality and natural acidity Bass Phillip winery, established in 1979, has produced a remarkable wine named “Since 1979 Pinot” to celebrate its past success while remaining true to its form. A selection of older barrels from the Leongatha vineyard offers a fruit-driven aroma of mainly red berry fruits such as raspberry, with a dash of rhubarb and cranberry adding a subtle complexity. This pure, unadulterated pinot noir pleases with a silky and fine palate that fills the middle palate with sweet berry flavours and a soft, rounded structure that is at once expressive and varietal. It offers a delightful introduction to the Bass Phillip style and incredible value, given that this wine receives the same attention and care as the Estate and Premium cuvees. Overall, the “Since 1979 Pinot” is true to form, presenting a complex array of fresh berries, dried spices and forest floor and embodies the winery’s ethos of consistent and exceptional craftsmanship. The Bass Phillip “Since 1979 Pinot Noir” from the 2020 vintage showcases a wine of pure, unadulterated Pinot Noir. It greets the nose with fruit-driven aromas of mainly red berry fruits such as raspberry, a dash of rhubarb and cranberry adding a layer of complexity. The palate is graced with a silky and fine texture that is at once expressive and varietal, with sweet berry flavours filling the mid-palate, creating a soft and rounded structure that is exceptionally pleasing. This wine is a delightful introduction to the Bass Phillip style, reflecting the winery’s ethos of consistent and exceptional craftsmanship. “Medium to deep red/purple hue, an excellent colour for a two-year-old Aussie pinot, the bouquet irresistibly attractive, with ‘forest floor’ and sappy overtones to dark-cherry fruit intertwined with smoky oak resulting in a complex smoked-charcuterie touch. The wine is medium-bodied at most, softly textured—even glossy—in the mouth, the tannins quite smooth but with the faintest gritty, bitter aspect in the aftertaste. A very smart pinot.” – 93 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review The Finer Details Style – Red Wine Varietal – Pinot Noir Country – Australia Region – Gippsland, VIC Vintage – 2020 Bottle Size – 750ml ABV – 14.5%