Phillipp Bass Premium Chardonnay 2020

Bass Phillip Premium Chardonnay 2020

The "Breathtaking" Transition – Precision, Gravitas, and Burgundian Soul

In March 2026, the 2020 Bass Phillip Premium Chardonnay is celebrated as a "transcendental" vintage. It represents the final, poetic collaboration between founder Phillip Jones—who managed the harvest—and the new team led by Jean-Marie Fourrier, who oversaw the maturation and blending. The 2020 season was bookended by cooler temperatures, yielding lower than average quantities but fruit of immense intensity and natural acidity.

Critically, this vintage is being hailed as one of the estate's greatest, with some experts placing it on the same level as the iconic 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir. It marks a shift toward a style that looks more toward high-level Burgundy than traditional Australian Chardonnay.

🍷 Tasting Notes (2026 Perspective)

Six years after harvest, the 2020 Premium is showing "density and gravitas," with a multi-dimensional profile that has moved far beyond simple primary fruit.

• The Nose: Rich and Mealy. It opens with a complex, "worked" bouquet of creamy lees, cashew nut, and nougat. As it breathes, sophisticated notes of peanut brittle and butterkeks (butter biscuit) emerge, layered over a core of citrus curd and stone fruit.

• The Palate: Concentrated and Powerful. The entry is "lithe and supple," featuring a seamless flow of lime, white peach, and melon. It possesses a "steely backbone" and a textured mouthfeel—encased in subtle oak—that feels both generous and remarkably restrained.

• The Finish: Driving and Saline. It concludes with a "mouth-watering" acidity and a very long, savory finish of ginger, toast, and flinty minerals.

📋 Technical Snapshot

Pro Tip

The 2020 Premium is defined by its "venosity"—a deep, savory character that is rare in Australian Chardonnay. To fully appreciate its "Burgundian" complexity, decant for 45 minutes to allow the subtle notes of cashew and flint to integrate with the citrus core. Serve at 13°C. Its high density and savory profile make it a world-class partner for Miso-Glazed Black Cod, Roasted Pork Belly, or Creamy Shellfish Pasta.