BANKS ROAD

Banks Road is a family-owned, small-production winery located at Marcus Hill on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, part of the wider Geelong wine region. Established in 2002 by William and Avanelle Derham, the estate focuses on cool-climate wines grown, made and bottled on the property, with an emphasis on elegant structure, natural freshness and the maritime character of the Bellarine Peninsula.

The vineyard began with five acres planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, varieties chosen specifically for the region’s cool conditions and maritime influence from nearby Port Phillip Bay. Plantings subsequently expanded to include Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, broadening the estate’s interpretation of its coastal terroir.

The Bellarine Peninsula’s proximity to the ocean plays an important role in the style of Banks Road wines. Coastal air and moderate temperatures contribute to a long, steady growing season, allowing grapes to develop flavour gradually while retaining natural acidity. The vineyard is deliberately managed for relatively low yields, encouraging concentration, balance and structure in the finished wines.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay remain particularly important varieties for Banks Road. Pinot Noir benefits from the cool maritime conditions, producing wines with red-fruited character, freshness and savoury complexity, while Chardonnay combines natural acidity with texture and restrained richness. The estate also produces expressive Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, including limited selections from its strongest parcels and ferments.

Banks Road follows a measured, minimal-intervention winemaking philosophy, with careful attention to fruit quality and vineyard expression. An important feature of the estate is that its wines are grown, made and bottled on site at Marcus Hill, keeping the entire production process closely connected to the vineyard.

The estate’s Will’s Selection wines represent particularly limited releases. Its Pinot Noir, for example, is selected from the highest-grade fruit and ferments, with production potentially amounting to only a few barrels. These small-volume wines provide a more concentrated expression of Banks Road’s vineyard and winemaking approach.

Banks Road has also received recognition for its wines, including a five-star Halliday winery rating, alongside critical recognition for its Pinot Noir and Shiraz. This growing reputation reflects the potential of the Bellarine Peninsula for sophisticated cool-climate Australian wine.

For drinkers exploring contemporary Victorian wine, Banks Road offers a genuine estate-grown expression of the Bellarine Peninsula, combining family ownership, small-scale production and cool-climate viticulture with a strong connection between vineyard and winery.

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