Bass Phillip Estate Pinot Noir 2021 - Victoria, Australia

95/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review
95/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
94/100 James Suckling
96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
93/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2020 vintage)
95/100 Wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
95/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2019 vintage)
94/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
93/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2019 vintage)
92/100 CellarTracker (2019 vintage)

5 Stars - Halliday Wine Companion

2025 Best Pinot Noir of the Year in Australia - Halliday Wine Companion

Organic & Biodynamic

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Medium full ruby with a tinge of purple; the aromas are of red fruits, the profile lean and elegant, with bountiful drying tannins, and touches of foresty pinot mystery. The wine is lean and drying on the aftertaste. Nice elegant wine, worth a little cellaring also."

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "An elegant style, almost gentle with every element from fruit and acidity to tannins neatly in place. It’s a complete wine. Red cherry accents, rose petals, charred radicchio and a host of spices for good measure. It continues to unfurl beautifully in the glass. As seamless as it gets thanks to superfine tannins and a powder puff of acidity."

James Suckling "Lovely purity of fruit here, with raspberries, sliced strawberries, oranges and hints of cinnamon stick and vanilla on the nose. Soft and creamy, medium-bodied, with a wealth of small red berry fruit dancing across the palate. Very fine tannins. Ripe and delicious."

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Fruit off the Leongatha vineyard, destemmed, wild-yeast fermented, left 2 weeks on skins and aged in French oak, 25% new, for 14 months. A selection of the best barrels was then put aside for the Estate. Striking aromatics set the scene: a heady mix of florals, forest floor, blood orange and spiced cherries. The palate unfurls with a core of sweet-savoury flavours from fruit and oak, fine tannins and everything superbly integrated and aligned. There’s complexity, detail and definition all in one." (2020 vintage)

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "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." (2020 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "For this reviewer's money, BP's Estate Pinot offers the best bang for buck. While still a special occasion wine, it's almost as gorgeous as its elder siblings, and crafted for drinking younger. Ironically, it's also the one that takes longest to open up. But when it does, it billows aromas of dried cranberry, cherry preserves, umami-like mushrooms, cocktail bitters and potpourri. The palate is silky with a lift of crystalline acidity, wound ultra fine, talc-like tannins." (2019 vintage)

James Suckling "A rich and ripe impression on the nose of this estate edition, this has a violet-like floral edge, as well as forest-berry and sappy tones. The palate has rich, punchy flesh and a sense of weight, with ripe red cherries, earthy herbs and sous-bois. A bolder edition of this pinot with real weight." (2019 vintage)

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Now this certainly entices with its perfume and depth of flavour. Ripe-fruited, spicy, and full of earthiness. The tannins are beautifully shaped, if furry. Fuller bodied, with a refreshing acidity and good persistence. Lovely wine." (2019 vintage)

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Medium red/purple colour, bright and youthful, a bouquet of cherry and spices, attractive and bold, if a little straightforward. The wine is light to medium-weight, with some extract and texture, the tannins gentle but present on the mid-palate and finish, while the core has delicious fruit sweetness and a touch of succulence. A fine pinot to drink now or keep in the medium-term." (2019 vintage)

Winemaker "Fragrant potpourri of aromas, rose petals and red berry notes, with a hint of China tea; the very essence of Pinot Noir. A classic iron fist in a velvet glove palate. A lush fruit driven middle, enveloped by powdery tannins with delicious flavours that dance delicately across the palate."

James Halliday "Phillip Jones handcrafted tiny quantities of superlative pinot noir which, at its best, had no equal in Australia. Painstaking site selection, ultra-close vine spacing and the very cool climate of South Gippsland are the keys to the magic of Bass Phillip and its eerily burgundian pinots. One of Australia’s greatest small producers, it's been heading down a new path since Jones sold the assets (winery, stock and 14ha of vineyards) in May '20 to a syndicate led by Burgundian winemaker Jean-Marie Fourrier (who has known Jones for 14 years) and 2 Singaporeans who already have lucrative wine businesses. "

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate “When Bass Phillip hits the highs, it truly pushes the boundaries of Australian Pinot Noir greatness.” 

Robert M. Parker JR, The Wine Advocate “Make no mistake about it ... this a brilliant Pinot Noir, undoubtedly one of the finest being produced in Australia. Extremely complex, and more forward and evolved than most Burgundies are at a similar age, this is beautifully made wine. ....a brilliant effort.”

Bass Phillip, established in 1979 in southeastern Australia, specialises in premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Named after pioneers George Bass and Arthur Phillip, the winery is renowned for its commitment to organic (since 1993) and biodynamic (since 2002) practices, guided by cosmic rhythms to enhance energy and vibrancy in its wines.

Bass Phillip's low-yield vineyards, minimal intervention winemaking, and South Gippsland's cool, humid climate with mineral-rich soils contribute to wines of exceptional complexity, balance, and natural minerality. With older vines and sustainable practices, their recent vintages are considered their finest, showcasing unparalleled quality and craftsmanship.