Mornington Peninsula’s twin styles of pinot noir
Asmall spit of land south of Melbourne is fast becoming known as the hot spot for pinot noir in mainland Australia.
Mornington Peninsula is well known for its beautiful wetlands, stud farms and alfresco lifestyle, but it is now gaining a reputation as Australia’s ‘Pinot Coast’. Not only is it producing pinot noir with fabulously bold flavours, but there is a big diversity amongst the 50 cellar doors on this small peninsula – and the quality in the recent 2017 vintage has never been better.
“The wineries here are largely small-scale familyowned with the average size of vineyard plot just two hectares,” says Australian wine expert Natasha Hughes MW. “Pinot noir here is all hand-crafted in small batches using Burgundian techniques on lots of sitespecific vineyards, offering a fascinating diversity from such a small area of land.”
Hughes explained this diversity with a tasting of Mornington pinot noirs divided into two categories: Up the Hill and Down the Hill.
The first group of wineries based ‘Up the Hill’ are on the eastern side of Arthurs Seat in the southern part of the peninsula. Soils here are red volcanic clay over granitic bedrock and the climate is very maritime with constant sea breezes and cool winds from the southeast. Pinot noir here is beautifully elegant with light cherry fruits as shown by wineries such as Ten Minutes By Tractor, Polperro, Paringa and Stonier.
In contrast, Mornington Peninsula’s ‘Down the Hill’ wineries like Kooyong and Moorooduc round the peninsula towards Melbourne are based amongst lusher pastures with sandy loam over grey clay. With a warmer microclimate, pinot noirs from here are more opulent with richer fleshier fruits – but still with Mornington’s characteristic acidity.
“It hasn’t always been like this,” says Hughes. “Pinot noir has been in Australia since the early 1800s, and vines have been planted in Mornington Peninsula since 1886, but thanks to phylloxera and Australia’s fascination with fortified wine styles, this variety and Mornington’s area remained unexplored for nearly a century.”
Up the Hill Stonier ‘Lyncroft Vineyard’ Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
Stonier first planted pinot noir in 1982 amongst Mornington’s rolling hilly landscape. Light and elegant, this is from a late ripening site giving herby notes and rich cherry fruits. £34, Oxford Wine; Matthew Clark
Ten Minutes By Tractor ‘Wallis’ Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
Founded in 1997, this winery was set up by three families with vineyards all ten minutes apart. Winemaker Martin Spedding crafts this rich, pure, juicy pinot noir.
£41.40, Majestic Wine; St Andrews Wine Co
Polperro ‘Mill Hill’ Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
From Sam Coverdale’s highest vineyard at 220 metres close to Arthurs Seat. Polperro Pinot was the lightest in our tasting with raspberry fruit aromas, plummy fruit flavours with hint of cinnamon and clove. £42, Graft Wines
Paringa Estate Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
From vines planted in the mid-1980s by pioneer Lindsay
Mccoll on red volcanic clay at 150 metres altitude. Paringa’s pinot was the undoubted star of the tasting with sour cherry fruits, smoky meaty notes, fresh acid and spice.
£49.99, North & South Wines; Strictly Wine
Down the hill Moorooduc Estate ‘Robinson’ Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
Low lying Robinson vineyard at just 60 metres altitude tended by Richard and Jill Mcintyre since 1982, their daughter Kate Mcintyre MW has crafted a fleshy, ripe, dense pinot with vibrant acidity and beautiful soft tannins. £24.99, Mr & Mrs Fine Wine; £27.50, Hennings Wine; Butlers Wine Cellar
Kooyong ‘Massale’ Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
Herby, peppery notes with a muscular texture and juicy acidity, finishing with hints of oak from 25 per cent new French oak. Good value for Mornington Peninsula pinot. £19.60-£22.50, Luvians, Cupar & St Andrews; Exel Wines, Perth; Great Western Wine
Ocean Eight Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
Winemaker Mike Aylward picks early on his flat Tuerong vineyard and de-stems all his fruit to achieve light elegance. Dark savoury pure fruits, opulent with a hint of salinity and elegant finish.
£40, Strictly Wine; Corking Wines
Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2017
In one of the newer wineries on the peninsula, winemaker Tom Carson fashions wonderful pinot noirs using 25 per cent whole bunches to add zest; ageing for 10 months in 500 litre puncheons: good depth of colour, bright strawberry fruits, liquorice and cherry undertones, soft succulent mouthfeel with a sleek, silky finish. ■
£39, www.swig.co.uk