WINE: VINEYARD

Thirty acres of vineyard produce the majority of the Montalto and Pennon Hill wines. In keeping with the cool, maritime climate of the Mornington Peninsula our vineyard is made up primarily of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with around one acre each of Riesling, Pinot Meunier and Semillon.

Our amphitheatre property has two major sites – Montalto, a north-east facing site and Pennon Hill, with a south-westerly aspect. The different aspects and varying soil types of these two slopes provide great distinction between fruit styles, with the warmer Montalto site producing exceptional grapes with great depth well suited to the elegant Montalto range. The Pennon Hill site, with its longer ripening period, produces wonderful complex, delicate fruit which is the focus for the Pennon Hill range.

At Montalto we believe our wine should be an expression of its origin, a representation of the best fruit produced from its site in a particular vintage.

Care and attention to detail in the vineyard is paramount – well balanced vines, no irrigation, low cropping levels, hand harvesting and pruning and the exploration and use of alternatives to chemical sprays all play their part in producing high quality fruit. Each year the challenges are different, but our passion remain the same, year in, year out.

Vintage 2006

The earliest start to vintage in living memory we got underway on the 21 st of February with the harvest of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier for sparkling base. Harvest started for table wine on the 8 th of March, weeks earlier than the previous year. With dry but mild weather conditions coupled with moderate crops once again a fantastic vintage occurred. It seems that we are being spoiled by excellent vintages year after year at present.

Great flavours present in the fruit have translated into wonderful wines, now in current release. In particular the reds are outstanding and the whites are very good.

Vintage 2007

We again started harvest four weeks earlier than normal at the start of March, with dry and warm conditions experienced throughout the entire time of harvest. The resultant wines, still in barrel and tank, show tremendous concentration while still showing pure varietal flavours. 

Most vintages are either a good white year or a good red year but not both. This year however both the whites and reds are of equal high quality.

The Chardonnay has intense flavours with excellent minerality. The Pinots are big and fleshy with wild cherry and spice notes. Shiraz is ripe with dark plum and cherry flavours. Pinot Grigio and Riesling are lifted with excellent aromatics. The Rosé is again of high standard with lots of raspberry and strawberry flavours. Finally the fizz base we have made is the best to date which will make an irresistible drink in time to come.