Avani
Mornington Peninsula

The Issan vineyard is located in Outtrim, South Gippsland (near Leongatha), This site under the Bass Phillip label created notes like this from James Halliday on the 2017: "98 pts. The bouquet is lush and complex with berries of earth and tree, tracing ribbons of flavours flowing comfortably past oak and tannins that would make a Burgundian smile. A star in the lineup." Take a close look at these wines now lovingly crafted by Phillip Jones' former protege Shashi Singh and don't miss out on the last chance to get some Bass Phillip Premium!
Cheers, Randall.

At Avani, meaning 'the Earth' in Sanskrit, winemaker Shashi and her son Rohit want each wine to tell the story of each site and the growing season. Spontaneous fermentation, no additions beyond sulfur where necessary, and extended lees work is par for the course here. 

Although Gippsland might seem an unusual venture for this great biodynamic Mornington Peninsula producer, winemaker Shashi Singh got her first gig in winemaking almost two decades ago at Bass Phillip with the one and only Phillip Jones. The Issan vineyard was planted by Jones in 1994, a four-hectare parcel of dense plantings (9000 vines per hectare!) Owners, the Tee family, have been involved in running the vineyard together with Bass Phillip staff since 1998, and have supplied Bass Phillip with grapes until 2020. Sustainable farming is the philosophy of the vineyard, and the viticulture focuses heavily on the soil health of the site. 2009 was Shashi’s breakout year: it was the first vintage Shashi completed by herself under Phillip’s watchful eye at the Leongatha vinyard. She is now honoured to work with the Tee family and their incredible site at Issan for its inaugural bottling under the Avani label.

These wines are in stock and available for immediate dispatch!

2021 Avani Issan Vineyard Chardonnay
RRP: $80 | Offer: $69

Whole bunch pressed, spontaneously fermented in old French oak, aged for 11 months in old barrels. Some lees stirring for texture and no malo.
"In Gippsland, cool conditions and well-timed rainfall made for a vintage plentiful in both quality and quantity. Chardonnay was a standout, thanks to unusually high acid levels." - Tyson Stelzer, 2021 Vintage Report, The Wine Front
"From Gippsland, an excursion for this great Mornington Peninsula producer. Nutty, saline, succulent, appley. There’s four words I like in chardonnay in a row. So very savoury, almost elements of gentle Jura here, or at least a distinct lean into the nuttiness and non-fruit characters of the place. Briny finish is beautiful, upfront more fruit character but geez, doesn’t salted nuts get in the mix and a swish of nougat lends some personality. It feels potent but cool, lively and textural – a treat all up, and a fantastic and distinct expression." 96pts! - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

2021 Avani Issan Vineyard Pinot Noir
RRP: $85 | Offer: $71

All destemmed fruit was fermented with natural yeasts' on skins for 21 days, then aged for 18 months in barrel (no new). 
"From Gippsland and, by the label, Issan Vineyard, a site winemaker Shashi Singh is into for its high density planting and organic farming. Avani is one of those very important Victorian wineries, from where I sit, making beautiful wines (by beautiful people). Always a treat to revisit. Avani is based in Mornington Peninsula, of course. This is a cool and restrained pinot noir, lithe and shapely, fine boned, a web of lacy, silty tannin lends structure and the wine sits comfortable in its dark cherry, black olive, faintly game meat-meets-rosemary savouriness with a little sweet. smoky earth character in the mix for good measure. Understated and elegant but with plenty going on. A little spread in texture gives the wine a moreish feel. It feels fancy too, in that distinct way that great wines of the world hold themselves. Very beautiful, is the message." 96pts! - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front 

2019 Avani 'The Earth' Estate Syrah 
RRP: $85 | Offer: $71

Shashi and Devendra Singh have been growing grapes biodynamically on their Red Hill South farm since 2005, with 'The Earth' Syrah first released in 2009. This vintage the grapes have been hand harvested, then left to macerate and ferment with natural yeast in the underground cellars. The wine was then left in French oak (50% new) for 18 months before being bottled without fining or filtration.

2021 Avani Amrit Chardonnay
RRP: $50 | Offer: $41

Amrit, Sanskrit for 'Nectar of the Gods', is Shashi's second label from varieties she sources from various vineyards on the Mornington Peninsula. She applies the same principles with these wines as she does the Avani Estate wines. Spontaneously fermented in old French oak barrels, this chardonnay holds fresh citrus and green apple with a hint of cashew on the nose. Textural with a long elegant finish

2020 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir 
RRP: $285 | Offer $239

'The premium Pinot Noirs have beautiful, black cherry, floral and gamey aromas, supple, velvety tannins, underlying smoky oak and great flavour length. The fruit is sourced from the low cropping four hectare north-east facing vineyard at Leongatha. Philip Jones' philosophy is to allow nature to drive the viticulture and wine making processes. Natural yeasts and extended time on lees are all par for the course. The wine is aged in French Alliers oak for 12 to 18 months depending on vintage. Their 'hidden power' is revealed after around five years of bottle age.'

2021 Bass Phillip Gewurztraminer 
RRP: $59 | Offer $47

A textural and very "complete" and complex wine. This is exoticism on steroids! Rich, deeply concentrated, dry and boasting a super-long finish. It is such an interesting and compelling wine