The Mornington Peninsula just became my new favorite wine
region in Australia! In just an hour drive from Melbourne you find yourself in
the sweeping hills and tranquil countryside where some remarkably elegant wines
are produced. There are more than 50 small wineries that make high quality wines
but in minimal quantities. The region may be small but that doesn’t limit the variation from different producers. Each vineyard offers a different aspect,
elevation and soil that contribute to the varied character of the wines. It’s renowned for its
maritime influenced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with increasing accolades for
its voluptuous, complex Pinot Gris. Of course, like any other
wine region, with good wine goes good food and the region is scattered with award winning restaurants.
Ten Minutes By Tractor...
My first stop was Ten Minutes By Tractor. I had actually
never heard of this winery until a friend gave me the June 2011 Decanter Magazine, which had an entire article on the Mornington Peninsula and Ten
Minutes was one of the highlighted wineries [Thanks Myres!]. The three
vineyards that supply the grapes for their outstanding wines are, you guessed
it, ten minutes apart by tractor, hence the name! There is a collection of old
tractors throughout the property that reinforces the theme. The cellar door has
large windows overlooking the lush landscape of the vineyard and the ocean in
the distance. The innovative menu is driven by locally sourced produce and
changes seasonally. You are sure to find the perfect pairing with an extensive
international wine list focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from around the
world. The estate is very impressive and quaint. And more importantly, their
signature cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are remarkable with surprisingly developed flavors.
Both Chardonnays were aged in 28% new French oak barrels with lees contact. However, the 2009 Estate Chardonnay underwent more malolactic fermentation and therefore tasted more full bodied and buttery. It had less green apple and floral notes than the 2010 10X Chardonnay and more of a caramel nose. Both were enjoyable but I preferred the Estate Chardonnay. It had more complexity and a fuller mouthfeel without being overwhelming.
The 2010 10X Pinot Noir definitely retained a zesty, mouthwatering acidity of sour red fruits; cranberry and rhubarb. 2011 10X Rose was quite refreshing. It had lighter notes of white and pink flowers but with a textural sensory of beeswax that added some complexity.
The 2009 McCutcheon Vineyard Pinot Noir, one word...smooth! The nose was more savory and of riper red fruits. It smelled and tasted more developed. All and all, just a more balanced wine with more complexity.
Ocean Eight...
Next stop, Ocean Eight…yet another winery introduced to me
by Decanter Magazine. The small production of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot
Gris are sourced from the 17 hectare vineyard owned by Aylward family. The
vineyard is hidden down a winding dirt road, which leads to a small driveway
that displays a small sign: Ocean 8. The winery is so small that they simply
don’t have the manpower to open the cellar door regularly. Therefore, the
cellar door is only open the first weekend of each month. I was unable to visit
when the cellar door was open but fortunately Michael Aylward, the winemaker
and owner, made himself available to meet with me. He is a very pleasant man
with an evident passion and astounding attention to detail. I was overwhelmed
by his excitement and knowledge. Upon my arrival, he took me straight to the
cellar for a tasting. He explained the different clones and the different
stages and flavors of each wine in his cellar. One thing I will never
forget…Mike taught me a wine undergoing malolactic fermentation makes a ticking
noise. Seriously, it sounds like a clock! He let me put my ear to the barrel to
hear the ticking. His favorite wines are from Chablis and he tries to make his
Chardonnay similar in style and he loves when people use raspberry as a descriptor
for his Pinot Noir. My visit to Ocean Eight with Mike Aylward is definitely one of the
more memorable moments in the Mornington!
Mike's love of French wines!
Clone MV6: from Clos Vougeot, France. Has small bunches and berries
with concentrated plummy and meaty character
Eldridge Estate...
The gentleman from the cellar door at Ten Minutes By Tractor recommended I swing by Eldridge Estate so I did! Why not?...I was in the area :) I
met with Wendy Lloyd, one of the owners of Eldridge with her husband, David, being the other.
Wendy explained they are passionate about wine and enjoy clonal and technical
experimentation to ensure a quality focus. The vineyard is now predominantly a mix of Pinot Noir [6
clones] and Chardonnay [5 clones]. It also has a small amount of Gamay and
Sauvignon Blanc. Good wine but no stand outs for me personally.
Small tasting room with a great view of the small vineyard
View from the tasting room
Paringa Estate...
Paringa Estate is one of the regions largest and most well
known wineries with a wide variety of wines, from Riesling to Viognier to
Shiraz. Lindsay McCall, school teacher turned winemaker, purchased the property
in 1984, planted its first vines in 1985 and had its first vintage in 1988. The
main property is 4 hectares, which sources their Single Vineyard Reserve Series. Paringa also owns an additional 22 hectares that sources their Estate and Peninsula Series. The winery processes over 220 tonnes of fruit and
produces over 16,000 cases of wine. Good wine but, like any larger winery, you have some wines that stand out and some that don't. Some of the wines were lacking complexity and flavor development.
2011 Estate Riesling, 2009 Estate Pinot Gris, 2009 Estate Viognier
2008 Peninsula Chardonnay, 2008 Estate Chardonnay, 2011 Estate Rose
Paringa Cellar
Paringa 'Home Vineyard'
Kooyong at Port Phillip Estate are actually two separate labels owned by the Gjergja family. Both are well known and respected for regional representation but Kooyong appears to be the shining star and liked by most. Port Phillip Estate vineyard was established in 1987 and is located in Red Hill; the 10 hectare site is planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc, all on northerly and easterly-facing slopes. In contrast, Kooyong is located in Tuerong toward the northern end of the Mornington Peninsula. The majority of the 40 hectare site is planted with Pinot Noir, with a moderate area of Chardonnay and small parcels of Pinot Gris. I had the pleasure of meeting with the winemaker, Tessa Brown, who gave me a tour of their facilities and a lovely tasting of their wines. All the wines are made to reflect the vineyard attributes but varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir amplify small differences in site into significant differences in the wine. I'm very keen of Kooyong wines! You can really taste the difference between each vineyard and the different layers of each wine.
Port Phillip Estate winery, designed by award-winning Wood/Marsh Architecture
Port Phillip Estate tasting room
Kooyong winery
Barrel tasting with assistant winemaker Glen
2009 Farrago Chardonnay: I thought it was a nice touch showing the vineyard layout on the label
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