Today was a very big day spent visiting Mornington Peninsula wineries with energetic English wine critic Matthew Jukes and Australian wine’s Man About London, Paul Henry. In a day saturated with highlights, the leading attractions were: * Rollo Crittenden has the makings of a genuinely serious Nebbiolo from 2003, made in equal parts from Heathcote and King Valley fruit. It will be released under the ‘i’ label, and has more depth of fruit, plus a better and more varietal structure than most Australian efforts with this grape. It really stacks up. He also has an extraordinary Amarone Cabernet Sauvignon made from the block around the original Dromana Estate winery. It’s way out there, but it’s a great effort. * Main Ridge Estate’s 1998 Chardonnay is perhaps the best chardonnay made last century from Peninsula fruit. It’s long and seamless, elegant and evenly measured, still remarkably youthful and perfectly balanced. The 1992 remains a top-class and wonderfully preserved wine, while the 2001 Half Acre Pinot Noir is slowly fulfilling the massive expectations I have long held for it. * In 2003 Stonier experienced a truly signature year for pinot noir. Its two usual wines are each the best ever made under their respective labels; the ‘standard’ wine is generous, plush and pristine, while the very perfumed Reserve is silky, satiny and opulently flavoured. Still in oak are two individual vineyard wines, one of which is a full-throttle pinot of punch and texture, another of which is a brilliantly stylish, powdery and long-term wine made with 50% whole bunch fermentation. Keep an eye out for them. * Kooyong continues to impress. Not only has it released three excellent single vineyard wines from 2001, but another tasting of its 2003 component wines suggest that this vintage will take the brand to another level. What Sandro Mosele has achieved in such a short time is little short of breathtaking. It’s a great pleasure to have so much to look forward to from the Peninsula. Perhaps these wines might inspire more local wineries to strive for similar excellence.
