2023 Bass Phillip Depuis Pinot Noir 750Ml Bottle

Vigneron Jean-Marie Fourrier destems pinot at his Burgundian domaine and at Bass Phillip, in order to preserve flavour and freshness. Not surprising given he was a protégé of the late, great Henri Jayer, who did the same. So, here it is – Depuis 23, which means 'since' in French (as in this style started in ‘23). Fermented with 100% whole bunches and aged in French oak, 50% new, for 14 months. Given all that, weaker sites would produce something weedy and astringent. Not this. Sure, it’s stemmy with bitter herbs, but it’s also superbly integrated because at its heart is excellent fruit, all sweet and tangy. A little smokiness comes through, aniseed, almost pastis-like, umami/Vegemite and oak spices with raw silk tannins sashaying across the fuller-bodied palate. There’s a density and richness but it’s not weighty. Whole-bunch junkies will be stoked.
96pts. - Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion

Deep-ish colour with a tinge of purple in the rim, the bouquet quite vegetal/stemmy, with floral, minty nuances, suggesting a substantial portion of whole bunches were in the ferment. An attractive perfume, albeit on the herbal side of the ledger. The wine is full bodied and loaded with drying tannins that coat the entire lining of the mouth. A high-impact wine of formidable structure and concentration. It will be fascinating to see how it develops with some age.
96pts. - Huon Hooke, The Real Review