Bannockburn 'SRH' Chardonnay

Named after its founder, Stuart Reginald Hooper, this wine is made from 12 specific rows of Chardonnay vines located at the Olive Tree Hill vineyard. The vineyard was planted in 1976 on an ancient seabed; the farming is completed using organic farming practices and is now certified, contributing to the land's biodiversity and the quality of the fruit.

"The intensity of flavour here is significant. This is a rocket of a wine. Grapefruit, lime, lemon curd, sweet peach, tinned pear and pineapple characters come wrapped in smoky-sweet cedarwood. Acidity, barley-and-lemon-drenched, is prominent too, in keeping with the power of the fruit. It needs time for certain, but this is quite a wine." - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front 95+ Points

Stuart Hooper established Bannockburn Vineyards in the early 70's, he was inspired by the pursuit of quality in the great wines of Burgundy, but wanted to make great Australian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a sense of place unique to the Moorabool Valley. Leading him to plant the first close-planted Pinot Noir vineyard in Australia. Although Stuart has since passed, Bannockburn remains in the Hooper family, and his vision to make unique, distinctive and age worthy wines lives on today.

Since 2015, Matt Holmes has been head winemaker, steering the wines from strength to strength. His approach involves minimal additions and interventions in the winery, allowing the fruit's natural flavour to shine. Lucas Grigsby, head viticulturist, has been farming the land for 37 years, tirelessly converting the whole estate to organic farming practices and continually working with the team to ensure the overall health and fertility of the land.