News & Events
Welcoming Oakridge Wines to the Portfolio
Bancroft is pleased to announce that Oakridge Wines from the Yarra Valley has joined the portfolio.
Patrick Diggins, Bancroft’s Australian Brand Manager, explains ‘As someone who grew up in Sydney, discovered a passion for wine there, and began my career in the Australian trade, I feel incredibly fortunate to have secured an allocation of these highly coveted wines for the UK.
Oakridge is firmly established as one of Australia’s most acclaimed wineries. Their 864 Chardonnay sits confidently among the country’s finest—think Giaconda or Leeuwin Estate—regularly earning 98–99 point scores. A perennial Halliday Wine Companion five-star winery, Oakridge has also claimed major accolades, including Winery of the Year, Winemaker of the Year, and Wine of the Year. It’s no surprise that it’s held in such high esteem in the Australian wine community. Winemakers Dave Bicknell and Steve Faulkner have built a modern benchmark—renowned for exceptional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and for wines that are as precise as they are powerful.’
About Oakridge
The Yarra Valley’s rich history stretches back more than 30,000 years. The Wurundjeri people are the region’s traditional custodians, and their name for the Yarra River – Birrarung – means “place of mists and shadows”. It’s a phrase that beautifully captures the quiet magic of this breathtaking landscape.
Today, the Yarra Valley is celebrated as one of the world’s premier cool-climate wine regions. Nestled along the ancient riverbed and encircled by the Great Dividing Range, it is home to 2,837 hectares of vineyards. Its varied topography and microclimates support both classic varieties and an exciting array of emerging styles, making it one of Australia’s most dynamic viticultural areas.
Oakridge played a key role in the Yarra Valley’s revival in the early 1980s. Originally conceived to produce just one wine each year, by 1986 the winery had already diversified, creating both a rich, complex Cabernet Sauvignon and a softer Cabernet-Merlot blend.
For over two decades, under the guidance of Chief Winemaker Dave Bicknell, Oakridge has risen to become one of the Valley’s most respected names – particularly known for its exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Unconstrained by strict appellation rules, Oakridge has embraced a spirit of experimentation, blending innovation with tradition to create wines that speak of place. Dave’s guiding principle – the devil is in the detail – is evident in everything from his fastidious vineyard work to his near-obsessive precision in the winery.
His singular focus has seen Oakridge lead the charge in showcasing Yarra Valley’s potential as a cool-climate region, especially through its single-site expressions. Along the way, Oakridge has amassed a significant collection of accolades. Dave was named Gourmet Traveller Wine’s Winemaker of the Year in 2017, while in 2021, the 2019 864 Funder & Diamond Chardonnay was awarded Halliday’s Top-Rated Australian Chardonnay. In 2023, Oakridge was named Winery of the Year by The Real Review.
At the heart of Dave’s winemaking philosophy is a desire to craft wines of purity, clarity, and balance. This begins in the vineyard, where he works closely with Chief Viticulturist Steve Faulkner. The fruit is grown sustainably, with certification from Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Hand-picked and minimally handled, each wine is an expression of site, season, and the hands that shape it.
Taste the Range
The Oakridge range will be available at our Autumn Tasting, 22nd Monday September 10:30-5:30.
