I know we’re beginning to sound like a broken record, but there’s no hiding it under a bushel: 2022 is an exceptional year for our Victorian producers. Matt Holmes is only slightly more measured in his appraisal of Bannockburn’s 2022 vintage than Luke or Barney, where location played a crucial role in their “best ever” releases under the Crudo and Stagiaire labels respectively. Even so, to hear Matt describe this as “the best 1314 release in the last three years”, speaks volumes.Digging a bit deeper, ’22 was a year that saw a return to somewhat normal crop levels for Bannockburn, ending at 10% below average, (quite a relief when compared to the widespread losses experienced by some Victorian colleagues in the Yarra and Mornington). Holmes tells us that “2022 is better than both 2021 and 2020. It was a year that gave fruit with great acidities and concentration.”This year there is a new wine in the line-up, a fleshy and delicious Shiraz rosé from fruit planted in the 1990s on the estate’s Winery Block. The last time Bannockburn Vineyards released a rosé was back in Michael Glover’s early days. It has been worth the wait although, as you might imagine, the wines could not be more different! The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are certainly outstanding releases. Expect all the vibrancy, drinkability and balance that we anticipate from this label, and perhaps a little more. Time to back up the truck.