Bannockburn was established in 1974 by Stuart Hooper on the volcanic soils of the Moorabool Valley, near the town of Bannockburn in Victoria's Geelong region. Olive Tree Hill is the estate's oldest Pinot Noir block, planted to own-rooted MV6 in 1976 on volcanic loam and dark clay over a limestone base. Now approaching fifty years of age, these dry-grown vines crop at naturally low yields and set small, thick-skinned berries that concentrate colour and structure. Farming across the estate has moved steadily towards organic practice under the current regime. The 2024 growing season in Geelong was cool and even, allowing this mature block to ripen slowly and retain its characteristic depth and firmness.

The fruit was handpicked and completely destemmed, then fermented on skins for around ten days before pressing. The wine went to French oak hogsheads, of which roughly 40 per cent were new, and was then left largely undisturbed. Malolactic fermentation took place naturally in barrel during the spring, after which the wine matured on its lees before being blended and bottled in February. The approach is deliberately low-intervention, allowing the concentration and structure of the old vines to carry the wine rather than winemaking additions or heavy new-oak influence.