Mornington Peninsula Region

Location
Zone - Port Phillip
State - Victoria

Map Reference
Latitude 38 degrees and 20 minutes South
Longitude 144 degrees and 58 minutes East

Elevation
0 - 250 metres above sea level

Subregions
Nil

Introduction
In the nineteenth century vineyards existed on the Mornington Peninsula but on a small scale, although they disappeared without trace. Since 1971 viticulture began to grow once more and at present there are now 110 vineyards and over 40 wineries.

Furthermore, the link between tourism and wine, which is parallel to the one at the Hunter Valley, continues to strengthen, followed by the development of supporting tourism business base of the region.

The Peninsula is Melbourne's leading holiday playground and foremost weekend destination. The affluence of the majority of the vignerons indicates that they do not hesitate to spend money necessary to obtain the manpower and infrastructure resources required to maximise wine quality and guarantee consistency.

The link has also contributed to the establishment of plentiful attractive cellar-door outlets as well as many winery restaurants and cafes.

Primary Grape Varieties

White
Chardonnay 65 ha
Sauvignon Blanc 5 ha
Riesling 5 ha
Pinot Gris
Other
Total White 75 ha

Red
Pinot Noir 45 ha
Cabernet Sauvignon 15 ha
Shiraz 5 ha
Merlot
Other
Total Red 65 ha

Primary Wine Styles

Chardonnay
This is the regions most distinctive wine. The backdrop of fruit flavours is quite brittle, with flavours of melon, citrus and fig that are very sensitive to the influence of winemaking, in particular to malolactic fermentation. The majority of the wines are wholly or partially taken through the secondary malolactic fermentation, and are often barrel fermented resulting in overlay of strong nutty and cashew oak characters.

Pinot Noir
There is immense range in style of the region's Pinot Noir, ranging from eloquently delicate to powerful and enduring. These wines are best enjoyed two to three years after the vintage.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Almost all of the Cabernets made are blended with up to 20 percent of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, a technique that highlights the natural tendency to agility and elegance. The flavours can be intense, from red to black berries, however the wines are never big.