Mount Mary Pinot Noir 2021

James Suckling Top 100 Wines of Australia 2023

Mount Mary is one of the iconic wineries of Australia and one of the jewels of the Yarra Valley. Their Pinot Noir is Yarra pinot at its finest, possessed of rare finesse and purity. The wine is typically medium bodied, with fragrant cherry and strawberry aromas and a vibrant, succulent palate of prodigious length. Production is minuscule.

"Perfumed and seductive even at this early stage. Aromas of wild red berries, gentle spice, dark rose and bracken. Concentrated and structured with very fine, sinewy and savoury tannins. A brilliant, non-mainstream Yarra Valley pinot that's been built to go the distance."  Philip Rich

The Pinot Noir vines were sourced from Western Victoria in 1971. The older Pinot blocks are a mix of many clones - there are 30+ clones in the original Pinot block. Subsequent plantings of Pinot have been selections from the original block, and the clonal selection has been somewhat refined. There are also some newer blocks planted (as of 2008) to American rootstocks that are of specific clonal material, namely MV6 and 777. In the winery the emphasis is on simplicity. By today's standards, relatively short fermentations are employed, typically 8-10 days. This is followed by 16 months of barrel maturation consisting of 25% new oak barriques. 

"There is no better way to describe this wine other than a quintessential Mount Mary Pinot noir. The nose opens with a hint of nougat, cranberries, stewed strawberry and quince. The palate is silky and seamless and flows effortlessly from front to back. Red fruit flavours dominate; namely cherry and strawberry with nuances of rhubarb and various root vegetables. This wine sees 20% new oak, adding a buttered mushroom creaminess to the mid palate. The tannins and acid work in harmony to give this wine structure, length and freshness."  Mount Mary

Mount Mary - Halliday Wine Companion Winery of the Year 2018
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Expert reviews

"100% destemmed and fermented with as many whole berries as possible. Left to soak for four days, pre-fermentation with one pump over per day, then plunged three times per day. 15 months in French barriques (25% new). A bright crimson red. Perfumed and seductive even at this early stage. Aromas of wild red berries, gentle spice, dark rose and bracken. Concentrated and structured with very fine, sinewy and savoury tannins. A brilliant, non-mainstream Yarra Valley pinot that's been built to go the distance. Drink by 2035."  Philip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion - 97 points 

"The 2021 Pinot Noir is aromatic and silky (two obvious qualities I accept). It offers notes of redcurrant, pomegranate, cherry, tobacco, graphite/lead pencil, a hint of poached strawberry and even inflections of sumac. Quince paste is suggested, and quince paste it is. (The power of suggestion is strong, but sometimes it's apt—you've got to be big enough to own up to descriptors that aren't your own.) There are also juicy, ripe, summer strawberries. This is spiced and rich and sits firmly on the mid-palate, but it is supple and succulent also. Cool-feeling tannins shape the fruit in the mouth and draw the wine out over the long finish. It has a super svelte, streamlined shape. The tannins are gently chewy and persist through the finish. This is a lovely wine. It is placid but sure, sapid. No whole bunches contribute to the texture here. It has super fine tannins. Four to six days pumped over, the wine was plunged rigorously during ferment. Generally, it sits on the skins for a couple of days post-ferment (14-16 days in total) and then is pressed. It matured in 25% new oak for 14-16 months. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. Drink: 2023 - 2041."  Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 96 points

"Sam Middleton thinks maybe the best release since the 2015. Ripe strawberry, a little spice, pretty too with some rose and chamomile, mint and undergrowth. It’s medium-bodied, red berries and honey, with a savoury tobacco edge, the quality of tannin is excellent here, offering grip and a sort of tea leaf character, which puts me in mind of Barbaresco (though don’t mind me), and the finish is long, firm and shapely, and kind of ferrous and minerally. It feels young and pent up as at now, to some extent, though I reckon it will evolve into a classic MM Pinot with considered cellaring. A terrific release. Drink: 2026 - 2038+."  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front - 96 points

"The winemaking investment in the pinot noir has been substantial. Maker Sam Middleton eschews the common regional recipe of whole-bunches, instead maximizing whole berries. These are extracted judiciously with pump-overs and plunging, a sure way to avoid soft, hollow wines. The defining factor of these pinots is the lack of obvious fruit, Middleton’s aim. This is my type of ideology, with riffs on root spice, damson, quince paste and griotte, that sweet cherry scent seldom found in pinot outside of great Burgundy. A stunning pinot. I may be underscoring it. Drinkable now, but best from 2026."  Ned Goodwin MW, JamesSuckling.com - 96 points and Top 100 Wines of Australia 2023

Awards

James Suckling Top 100 Wines of Australia 2023

Dr John & Sam Middleton

 Dr John and Marli Middleton

Dr John Middleton was a prominent physician and a giant of the Australian wine industry. He played a leading role in the renaissance of the Yarra Valley as a premium wine-producing region when he founded Mount Mary in 1971, as it had been 50 years since the Valley had produced any wine.

John was the son of a country doctor and initially followed in his father's footsteps. "John studied medicine at Melbourne University, where he met arts student Marli Russell, who was to become his wife. He graduated with honours in all subjects and was awarded prestigious medical prizes. To the surprise of friends and colleagues, this talented graduate from a privileged background chose not to become what was known in those days as 'a Collins Street specialist'. He had no desire to be a rich, society medico. He had a deep social conscience and as a physician, he would treat and counsel an entire family for the price of one patient.” Philip Jones, The Sydney Morning Herald

In the 1960s John and Marli, driven by a passion for fine table wine, made many visits to the wine producing regions of the world and in particular, to Bordeaux and Burgundy. They soon became hooked on French premium wines and the thought of producing something similar in Australia. They resolved to find a suitable site upon which to establish a small commercial vineyard with the intention of making elegant, low-alcohol wines from French varieties.

When John finally decided to devote his life to making wine, he didn't let his busy medical practice impede his search for the perfect vineyard site. He walked the slopes of the low hills surrounding the Yarra Valley and arranged for soil to be tested. It was in 1971 that he came across Mount Mary, a property that had grey-clay soil and a north-facing slope ideal for grape growing.

John planted 25 acres of vines in 1972 and produced the first Mount Mary vintage in 1976. The release comprised four wines: Quintet (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot), Triolet (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle), Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

John's attention to detail was legendary and he possessed a relentless drive for perfection. "John Middleton practised near-obsessive attention to detail long before that phrase slid into oenological vernacular. Even journalists were vetted before being allowed into the winery, its sanitary standard that of a hospital operating theatre. And therein lay the secret of the quality of the wines. Infinite care was taken with every stage of converting grapes into wine to be released when (in Middleton's view) it was ready.” James Halliday

John never sought media attention, there were no public tastings, no cellar door sales, no winemaker dinners and no advertising; the sole marketing expense was an annual A4 brochure sent to clients on his mailing list. "I still recall John Middleton eschewing all the glitz and glam of wine marketing and PR, boycotting the wine shows and expos, refusing to send a bottle for a magazine tasting because 'we might have all been drinking coffee or eating garlic for breakfast'. It was all irrelevant to him. All that mattered was what went into the bottle. No advertising, no fanfare, no flying the word's press to the winery for a party. Whatever fame Mount Mary has attained, it has achieved solely on the back of its wine quality. And that's a lot of fame."  Huon Hooke 

It is a classic understatement to say that John was a complex personality. When I first started seriously purchasing wine, the highlight of the buying year was tasting the new vintage release wines at Mount Mary, but more particularly spending time talking with John. My fondest memory was the year I arrived to find John leaning on the driveway gate, in a particularly reflective mood, and listening to his long discourse on a wide range of subjects.

"John did not suffer fools gladly. He wrote an annual newsletter that was usually controversial and, if he thought it was deserved, would attack politicians, government departments and critics with withering contempt. John would usually leave it until perhaps the fourth sentence for his first shot of invective, and by then it was on for young and old. He somehow contrived to address the majority of important issues facing the global wine industry, plus anything else that came to mind, in and around the loose context of introducing his loyal band of buyers to Mount Mary's forthcoming wine release. One stoush over government interference stemmed from state and federal excise on quality wine on the professed grounds of curbing alcoholism. 'These (connoisseurs of quality wines) are the last people to be viewed as drunkards,' he noted. It was riveting stuff; never dull, always intelligent and never failing to overlook any technical or political reality that might have weakened his case. John's intensity, focus and the strength of his self-belief will long remain in the consciousness of everyone who knew him.” A combination of excerpts from Angus Hughson, The Wine Genius and Philip Jones, The Sydney Morning Herald

John Middleton made Mount Mary one of Australia's greatest vineyards. "John relentlessly strove for perfection and all 4 of the wines in the original Mount Mary portfolio achieved just that. By the time John died in 2006, aged 82, Mount Mary's wines had long been recognised as the leader of the Yarra Valley pack." James Halliday

Mount Mary is in the form of its life with Sam Middleton as Head Winemaker, a position he has held since 2011. "Current winemaker and third-generation family member Sam Middleton has managed to sensitively and intelligently refine the wines to their highest-ever level of quality, driven from the vineyard up.” Nick Stock

Sam Middleton is a third generation winemaker from the Mount Mary family. He holds a degree in Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne as well as a degree in Wine Science from Charles Sturt University. His background includes employment at several significant producers including Coldstream Hills and Dominique Portet. Sam has gained experience in France working vintage in Burgundy in 2009 and travelling extensively through other wine regions. Bordeaux is of special interest to him as a result of its role in Mount Mary's history.

Growing up in the Yarra Valley alongside his father and grandfather, grapes and wine have always been a part of life. He has always demonstrated a passion for primary production and has a deep respect for this region and its unique ability to produce world-class wines. 

Mount Mary is entering its second golden age with Sam Middleton in charge of the winemaking process. "Charming grandson Sam Middleton is equally dedicated (as Dr John Middleton). An all-encompassing recent tasting of every vintage of the 4 wines in the original Mount Mary portfolio left me in no doubt he is making even better wines." James Halliday 

About the winery

Mount Mary, a highly acclaimed single vineyard estate located in the heart of the Yarra Valley, is owned and operated by the Middleton family. Dr John Middleton purchased Mount Mary in 1971 and planted 25 acres of vines the following year on a north facing slope that captures optimum sunlight during the growing season. John played a leading role in the renaissance of the Yarra Valley as a premium wine-producing region, as it had been 50 years since the Valley had produced any wine, and duly established himself as a giant of the Australian wine industry.

Since the first vintage in 1976, Mount Mary has established itself as one of Australia's most highly regarded producers, commanding a mythical status among wine collectors. John established a stellar reputation, with the winery's small (3000 case) production selling out quickly each year. The purity of fruit, poise and structure of Quintet, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot blend, epitomises the estate. It resonates with individuality of place and John's fastidious respect for the landscape.

The Mount Mary Vineyard estate wines are premium handcrafted wines produced in limited quantities. The four wines are Quintet, Triolet (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle), Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The first two wines are classic Bordeaux blends, while the latter two are varieties traditionally grown and made in Burgundy.

Mount Mary celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021 and today has around 40 acres under vine planted to 18 grape varieties. Mount Mary has continued to take great steps forward while staying true to the vision of Dr John, who died in 2006. His son David oversees the business while grandson Sam Middleton has held the role of Head Winemaker since 2011. "It's axiomatic that generational change can be good or bad, obvious or discreet. The changes at Mount Mary have been unambiguously good, but fittingly discreet.” James Halliday

In 2008, in response to changing environmental conditions and a desire to evaluate new varieties, Mount Mary established additional vineyard areas on the estate and planted a number of varieties that have traditionally been grown in the Rhône Valley. The varieties planted include three white grapes, Marsanne, Roussanne and Clairette and four red grapes, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. In 2014 Mount Mary released two new wines under the Marli Rusell label, named after Marli Middleton (nee Russell), wife of John and co-founder of Mount Mary. One is a blend of the three white Rhône varietals, the other a blend of the four red Rhône varietals. 

"More than half the land area of Mount Mary is not directly related to wine production. The health of our property is of primary concern and we have the long-term objective of being self-sufficient in energy and water. We are also keen to limit our impact on the environment through revegetation and weed control. Despite the many challenges that have been presented to us over the past few years, progress toward our environmental goals continues. We are on a journey of continuous improvement and while we still have a long way to go to reach all of our goals, great progress has been made in with our planting program and our water and energy system designs. Work has begun on the reticulation of our harvested water supplies, the modernisation of our winery wastewater management and the energy efficiency of our winery. Our revegetation areas are already attracting increased numbers of native birds and our Snow Gum conservation area is looking good. We are continuing with our program of collecting a variety of native seed for propagation.

The ultimate goal of our environmental works is to be energy and water efficient, relying less on outside supply, to provide additional habitat for native species, and to limit our negative impacts by containing and treating waste products on site. Renewable power, water collection and recycling, and redesigned facilities are at the centre of these improvements.

Although we are not certified biodynamic or organic we have a very keen interest in soil health and improving the environment around us. We are striving for a sustainable and robust viticultural system to ensure the long-term future of our site and the continual evolution of our wines. To help with this vision we adopt many viticultural practices, which include spreading compost in order to manipulate the soil microbiology and increase soil organic matter, along with spreading small amounts of organic fertilisers, and in some blocks mulching undervine with straw to increase soil water retention.

We like to minimize the use of machinery in our vineyard in order to reduce the amount of soil compaction within the vine row. Cover crops are sown down every alternate row which helps to increase soil organic matter, improve soil structure and provide a home for the many beneficial insects which play an important role in pest management. We continue to strive towards a spray program that only involves chemical use when absolutely necessary. We are focused on doing these things to ensure a healthy, sustainable environment."  Mount Mary 

Mount Mary Winery (click on image to play video)