The Mornington Peninsula winemakers are heading to the UK and inviting you on a tasting tour of their region at Australia House in London. At this trade tasting, you can meet the winemakers, taste their new wines and find out the latest from the Mornington Peninsula.
Five reasons not to miss this tasting
- A line-up of 50 wines from hero varieties Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and rising stars like Pinot Gris and Shiraz
- Meet 9 Mornington winemakers and winery owners – their first visit to the UK en masse since 2016
- Discover the geographic and stylistic differences within the region
- Compare new releases with older vintages, and explore the unique personalities of single vineyards
- Make discoveries, try inventive new styles and seek out new arrivals to the market
Win a trip to the Mornington Peninsula
Join the Mornington winemakers at Australia House and be in with a chance to win a trip to Australia and a ticket to the Pinot Celebration 2019.
Two lucky guests that attend the tasting will be able to experience this cool climate maritime region first hand and continue their exploration of Pinot Noir.
The prize includes flights, accommodation and a ticket to the Pinot Celebration, the region’s biggest and most important wine event. The Celebration, which takes place every two years, is on 8–9 February 2019. This two-day extravaganza is packed with activities ranging from winemaker sessions to dinners featuring local chefs.
All you have to do is to tell us what you discover about the Mornington Peninsula on 6 September and fill out an entry form at the tasting or post on social media.
See here for more details and here for the rules and regulations.
Registration
Australia House is a government building and due to security requirements, registration is essential. Guests will also need to bring photo ID on the day.
Please note that this is a trade tasting and is limited to drinks trade and media only. You may be required to provide proof of your profession in order to gain entry.
Meet the Makers
A combination of powerhouse pioneers, winemakers, owners, legends and the ‘next generation’, these producers will be showcasing their latest releases as well as single vineyards, new styles and older vintages. This is their first visit to the UK en masse since 2016, and it’s your chance to hear their stories first hand, make discoveries and get up to date with this cool maritime region. Read on to meet the winemakers who’ll be pouring their wines at the tasting.
Kate McIntyre MW - Moorooduc Estate
Kate McIntyre MW is one of a handful of second-generation Mornington Peninsula wine families: her parents established Moorooduc Estate when she was 10 years old. Kate joined the family business in 2004 and since then has chaired the Mornington Peninsula Pinot Celebration and become one of the region's leading advocates. The family’s focus is premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a hands-on approach and minimum intervention in the vineyard and winery.
Ask Kate about…being a little wild. They were one of the first Australian producers to use wild yeasts, they have open top fermenters and are experimenting with whole bunch fermentation.
Tom Carson - Yabby Lake Vineyard
Tom Carson is a well-travelled winemaker, having worked vintages across France and Australia. Under Carson’s watch, wines at Yabby Lake are made with a real sense of place and purity. Terroir is key – Carson can identify distinct characteristics of individual parcels from each tiny plot on their site. Their Block 1 and 2 Pinot Noir, for example, is “less than 10 metres apart, planted to the same clone of pinot noir (MV6) - and yet remarkably different in character.”
Ask Tom about…his celebrations after his Pinot Noir picked up the revered Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for best red wine in Australia. The first time that a Pinot Noir had won in the competition’s 52 year history!
Rollo Crittenden - Crittenden Estate
After growing up amongst the vines, the second generation of Crittendens are now fully immersed in the winery. Garry Crittenden’s son Rollo is viticulturalist and winemaker, and daughter Zoe looks after the marketing. Rollo, who has been named as an ‘Australian Young Gun of Wine’, makes stunning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vines were first planted in 1982 on the lower northern slopes of Red Hill, ideal conditions for cool climate varieties. But, with his innovative streak, Rollo is also experimenting with alternative varieties from Italy and Spain.
Ask Rollo about…getting his hands (and feet) dirty. Their red wine ferments are still plunged by hand and in many instances by foot!
Lindsay McCall - Paringa Estate
Teacher turned winemaker Lindsay McCall produces some of the Peninsula’s most powerful Pinots. Lindsay and his wife established Paringa Estate in 1984 after buying a derelict orchard in Red Hill, and the first vintage was in 1988. Lindsay spent ten years juggling life as a school teacher and part-time winemaker before embracing the wine life full-time. Haunting Pinot Noir and deeply complex Shiraz are the star turns here but the scintillating Chardonnay and pristine Pinot Gris also enjoy great acclaim.
Ask Lindsay about…his Shiraz story. When he started planting Shiraz, he was told by another winemaker that it wouldn’t ripen in the cool maritime climate of the Peninsula.
Martin Spedding - Ten Minutes by Tractor
Martin Spedding, the founder and owner, has taken Ten Minutes By Tractor to almost cult status. He’s spent many years exploring the nuances of the region’s unique soils and climates, gaining a reputation for producing wines of exceptional quality and complexity. The ‘home’ vineyards - the three original vineyards – are in Main Ridge, Mornington Peninsula’s coolest and highest sub-region. They’re only ten minutes apart (by tractor), but have different elevations and orientations, resulting in distinct wine styles. In addition to outstanding Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, Martin also produces great Sauvignon Blanc.
Ask Martin about… non-interventionist winemaking and their meticulous care in the vineyards. The Spedding Vineyard, behind the cellar door, is Mornington’s first certified organic vineyard.
Mike Aylward - Ocean Eight
During his student days Mike Aylward worked part-time in the family-owned winery, Kooyong, which fuelled his decision to pursue a career in winemaking. Following the sale of Kooyong, Mike set up Ocean Eight with his parents in 2004. A winner of the coveted ‘Australian Young Gun of Wine’ award, Mike is keen on minimal intervention, natural winemaking techniques, with a preference for reductive handling, and uses gravity movement and old barrels in the cellar. Mike is regularly amongst the first in the region to pick his Chardonnay, capturing the racy acidity and purity of fruit, which are hallmarks of the Ocean Eight style.
Ask Mike about…where the name Ocean Eight comes from. Rumour has it that it’s taken from the eighth hole of his favourite golf course on the southernmost tip of the peninsula.
Marco Gjergja - Kooyong/Port Phillip Estate
Brother and sister team Marco and Melissa Gjergja run Port Phillip Estate, set up by their parents in 2000, and bought Kooyong in 2004 from the Aylward family (now of Ocean Eight). Like many family businesses, Marco is across all aspects of the estates, their cellar door, restaurant and accommodation. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the hero varieties at both wineries, but look out for Kooyong’s fresh, textured Pinot Gris and Port Phillip’s aromatic, spicy Shiraz.
Ask Marco about…the family’s Dalmatian/Venetian roots. His father, Giorgio, moved from Italy to Australia and set up in Mornington for sea, sailing and fine wine.
Will Byron - Stonier Wines
One of the first wineries of the Peninsula, Stonier Wines was set up in 1978 by the Stonier family, who were pioneers of cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Winemakers Will Byron and Mike Symons both started at Stonier in 2009 and they’ve worked nine vintages together. With some of the Mornington’s oldest plantings, their focus is on the vineyards and ensuring minimal intervention in the winery. However, not resting on their laurels, in the continued quest for freshness and finesse, Will is picking the Chardonnay a tad earlier, using more puncheons over barriques, and bottling sooner.
Ask Will about…catching the travelling winemaking bug and clocking up 12 vintages in 5 years.
Sam Coverdale - Polperro
Sam Coverdale started out in wine when he was 18, working a vintage at Tyrrell’s, then travelled across Australia, then Spain, Italy and France, developing a strong sense of which wines he most enjoys making and drinking. Returning to Australia, Sam established Polperro in 2006 as the premium, single vineyard label from the home of Even Keel. Sam’s approach is both traditional and modern, he’s a champion of minimal intervention and sustainability. You may not have tasted Sam’s wines before – they’re not widely distributed in the UK. Don’t miss his deliciously drinkable, balanced and elegant Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.
Ask Sam about…organic and biodynamic winemaking. Also ask about another of his passions - surfing!
Mornington Winemakers on Tour Tasting Booklet
Download the tasting list, producer information and vintage summaries
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