Region: Yarra Valley
Sub Region: Gladysdale – Upper Yarra Valley
Variety: Pinot Noir
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2025
The Wine
Bastard Hill’s near-400-metre elevation places it at the extreme cool end of Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. The vineyard’s steep slopes and ferrous volcanic soils allow fruit to ripen slowly, producing a markedly alpine expression of Pinot: floral and aromatic, but with enough flavour concentration and tannin to make this a genuine long-term proposition.
The Pinot comes from a particularly small block within the vineyard. For 2025 the fruit was hand-picked and chilled overnight before being 100% destemmed into seasoned French oak vats. After a four-day cold soak, fermentation proceeded with gentle gravity mixing and approximately 15 days on skins.
Following full malolactic fermentation, the wine spent ten months in French oak barriques—22% new and 78% seasoned—without racking, remaining on its lees until blending. It was then bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
The lack of whole bunch is important. The herbal, floral and mountain-like character is coming from the vineyard rather than stems: alpine berries, rose, violet, bergamot and orange peel, with red cherry and fine pepper beneath. The tannins are long, silky and persistent.
Cellared Says
Another personal pick for me. This comes from a tiny parcel and in 2025 it looks particularly fine. What I like is that there’s no need to manufacture perfume with whole bunch—the site does that itself. Silky, energetic and beautifully composed, with far more seriousness underneath the fragrance than first appears.
Reviews
“Medium bodied, with lovely mid-palate intensity and energy. The tannins are just so silky and long.”
97 Points – Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion
“This release is remarkably pure and intense. It also has a distinct, almost defining, freshness.”
96 Points – Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
Region: Yarra Valley
Sub Region: Gladysdale – Upper Yarra Valley
Variety: Pinot Noir
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2025
The Wine
Bastard Hill’s near-400-metre elevation places it at the extreme cool end of Yarra Valley Pinot Noir. The vineyard’s steep slopes and ferrous volcanic soils allow fruit to ripen slowly, producing a markedly alpine expression of Pinot: floral and aromatic, but with enough flavour concentration and tannin to make this a genuine long-term proposition.
The Pinot comes from a particularly small block within the vineyard. For 2025 the fruit was hand-picked and chilled overnight before being 100% destemmed into seasoned French oak vats. After a four-day cold soak, fermentation proceeded with gentle gravity mixing and approximately 15 days on skins.
Following full malolactic fermentation, the wine spent ten months in French oak barriques—22% new and 78% seasoned—without racking, remaining on its lees until blending. It was then bottled by gravity without fining or filtration.
The lack of whole bunch is important. The herbal, floral and mountain-like character is coming from the vineyard rather than stems: alpine berries, rose, violet, bergamot and orange peel, with red cherry and fine pepper beneath. The tannins are long, silky and persistent.
Cellared Says
Another personal pick for me. This comes from a tiny parcel and in 2025 it looks particularly fine. What I like is that there’s no need to manufacture perfume with whole bunch—the site does that itself. Silky, energetic and beautifully composed, with far more seriousness underneath the fragrance than first appears.
Reviews
“Medium bodied, with lovely mid-palate intensity and energy. The tannins are just so silky and long.”
97 Points – Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion
“This release is remarkably pure and intense. It also has a distinct, almost defining, freshness.”
96 Points – Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
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