Mount Mary

Mount Mary was one of the foremost pioneers of the rebirth of the Yarra Valley after 50 years without viticultural activity. From the outset they produced wines of rare finesse and purity. Today its star shines brighter than that of any of the 169 producers in the Yarra Valley. The late founder, Dr John Middleton, practised near-obsessive attention to detail long before that phrase slid into oenological vernacular. He relentlessly strove for perfection and all 4 of the wines in the original Mount Mary portfolio achieved just that (within the context of each vintage). Charming grandson Sam Middleton is equally dedicated. An all-encompassing recent tasting of every vintage of these 4 wines left me in no doubt he is making even better wines since assuming the winemaker mantle in June 2011. In ’08 Mount Mary commenced a detailed program of vine improvement, in particular assessing the implications of progressively moving towards a 100% grafted vineyard to provide immunity from phylloxera. Part involved a move to sustainable organic viticulture and ongoing use of straw mulch to retain as much moisture as possible in the vineyard. Winery of the Year in the Wine Companion 2018. Exports to the UK, the US, Denmark, Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea. -JAMES HALLIDAY