Grape Varieties & Wine Styles
Although Mornington was very much pegged as a territory for the cabernet family, none of that research made what happened in the glass any more convincing. There are warm sites that can ripen cabernet, much like Tasmania, but it’s generally a marginal prospect as compared to the cool climate suitability for varieties such as chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot gris, which are now the mainstays. Shiraz is perhaps underrepresented, especially given a growing appreciation for more elegant styles, and riesling doesn’t get much of a look in. Riesling may not be a classically coastal variety, but the soils are suitable, and the coolness of the region with its tendency to retain acid in the grapes is a notable plus. So, the potential is there. Sauvignon blanc has a modest but meaningful foothold, and though it is only planted in frugal amounts, Eldridge Estate has proven oven decades that gamay has a strong future.
The style of wines is naturally heavily influenced by decisions both in the vineyard and winery, but pinot noir from the warmer zones, like Tuerong, can be quite brooding and assertively structured, while the cooler areas tend to make more fragrant and elegant styles. The typically long ripening will often allow for real intensity no matter the location, with fruit-forward plushness quite common. Chardonnay traces a similar arc, though the retention of acidity while flavours still build on the vine is a feature that advocates believe place it as the region’s strongest suit, with natural balance and excellent site reflection key features.
Mornington Peninsula in numbers*
- Elevation: 0–315 metres above sea level
- Annual rainfall: 735 mm
- Mean temperature (Jan): 19.3%
- Area under vine: 792 hectares
- White grapes: 41%
- Red grapes: 59%
- Average yield: 5.2 t/ha
Top five varieties crushed (2018)
- Pinot noir 51%
- Chardonnay 29%
- Pinot gris/grigio 13%
- Shiraz 4%
- Sauvignon blanc 2%
*Statistics courtesy of Wine Australia
