Red Hill Estate — One of the Mornington Peninsula's Founding Estates
Red Hill Estate is one of the Mornington Peninsula's most celebrated, historic, and distinctive wine producers — a founding estate of the region that has been producing wines of exceptional cool-climate character, elegance, and regional authenticity for decades. Situated in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula, with vineyards that benefit from the cool maritime climate of Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, Red Hill Estate produces wines that are a genuine and authentic expression of one of Victoria's most exciting and rapidly developing wine regions.
History & Heritage
Red Hill Estate is one of the Mornington Peninsula's pioneering wine producers — an estate that was established when the region was still finding its identity as a wine-growing area, and that has played a significant role in defining and championing the cool-climate style that has made the Mornington Peninsula one of Australia's most celebrated wine regions. The estate's long history in the region gives it an intimate knowledge of the Peninsula's diverse soils, microclimates, and the varieties that thrive here — knowledge that is evident in every bottle of Red Hill Estate wine.
The Region: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
The Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most distinctive and celebrated wine regions — a narrow peninsula that extends into Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, approximately 60 kilometres south of Melbourne, whose cool maritime climate and diverse soils create ideal conditions for producing wines of exceptional finesse, natural acidity, and aromatic complexity. The Peninsula is bounded by water on three sides — Port Phillip Bay to the west, Western Port to the east, and Bass Strait to the south — and the moderating influence of these three bodies of water creates a cool, consistent growing climate that is among the coolest of any Australian wine region.
The Mornington Peninsula's cool climate allows grapes to ripen slowly and evenly over a long growing season, developing the natural acidity, aromatic complexity, and structural elegance that define the regional style. The Peninsula is celebrated above all for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — varieties that thrive in cool, maritime climates and produce wines of a Burgundian elegance and complexity that are genuinely rare in the Australian wine landscape. The region's diverse soils — ranging from the red volcanic soils of the higher sites to the sandy loams and clay-rich soils of the lower vineyards — contribute to the extraordinary diversity of wine styles produced across the Peninsula.
The Merricks Grove area — where Red Hill Estate's flagship single-vineyard wines are sourced — is one of the Mornington Peninsula's most distinguished and celebrated vineyard sites, producing fruit of exceptional concentration, mineral character, and cool-climate elegance from its low-yielding vines.
Red Hill Estate also sources fruit from Heathcote — one of Victoria's most celebrated Shiraz regions, located in the centre of the state on the ancient Cambrian greenstone soils that produce Shiraz of extraordinary depth, richness, and longevity — for its Shiraz expression, and from a selection of Victoria's finest cool-climate regions for the Cool Climate Chardonnay.
Our Range
Merricks Grove Chardonnay — Mornington Peninsula — The flagship Chardonnay expression, sourced from premium Merricks Grove blocks and barrel-fermented to develop complexity and texture. Layers of guava, lemon curd, and citrus blossom on the nose. White nectarine, pink grapefruit, candied lemon, and a whisper of pineapple on the palate. Full yet elegant, with mineral acidity providing length and finesse. A single-site Chardonnay of genuine distinction. Outstanding with fresh seafood, roast chicken, creamy lemon pasta, and soft-rind cheeses.
Merricks Grove Pinot Noir — Mornington Peninsula — The flagship Pinot Noir expression, sourced from the D and F blocks of the Merricks Grove vineyard, hand-selected from low-yielding vines of exceptional character. Bright and fragrant with vibrant cherry, blackberry, and damson plum on the nose. Silky tannins weaving through a palate of dusty tobacco, soft violets, and vibrant red and dark fruit. Rich finish of toasted crumble and white spice. A single-site Pinot Noir of genuine Mornington Peninsula character and distinction. Outstanding with Chinese duck, wild mushroom risotto, roasted quail, and duck confit.
Cool Climate Pinot Noir — Mornington Peninsula — A well-structured and elegantly layered Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir of genuine cool-climate character. Dark cherry, red and black berries, game, forest floor, and cedar on the nose and palate. Hints of warming spices, dark chocolate, liquorice, and blackberry. Smooth, velvety finish from soft tannins. Outstanding with roasted duck, grilled lamb cutlets, mushroom risotto, truffle pasta, and beef Wellington.
Cool Climate Chardonnay — Victoria — A multi-region cool-climate Chardonnay of great concentration and balance. White peach, nectarine, and white flower blossom on the nose. Seamlessly integrated tropical fruits with a firm, structured palate. An approachable and immediately enjoyable Chardonnay of genuine cool-climate character.
Cool Climate Pinot Grigio — Mornington Peninsula — Pale straw with brilliant clarity and subtle green tints. Invigorating citrus aromas of lemon, lime, and grapefruit, complemented by subtle musk, delicate white floral hints, and freshly picked pears. Smooth in texture, clean and crisp on the finish with lingering citrus and pear notes. Outstanding with fresh prawns and oysters, grilled fish, light pasta, and soft cheeses.
Shiraz — Heathcote — Sourced from the ancient Cambrian greenstone soils of Heathcote — one of Victoria's most celebrated Shiraz regions. Rich, deep purple with enticing aromas of raspberry and dark cherry. Subtle notes of spice and white pepper complement bold flavours of dark fruits and blackberries, balanced with medium acidity. A Heathcote Shiraz of genuine regional character.
Sparkling Cuvée NV — Mornington Peninsula — A beautifully crafted Mornington Peninsula sparkling wine of finesse, regional character, and classic style. Pale straw with fine, persistent bubbles. Crisp apple, cashew, and subtle strawberry on the nose and palate. Elegant, balanced, and refreshing — a wine of genuine cool-climate character that is unmistakably Red Hill. Outstanding with fresh oysters, light seafood, soft cheeses, and canapés, or as a perfect aperitif.
How to Enjoy Red Hill Estate Wines
The Sparkling Cuvée and Pinot Grigio are best served well chilled at 6–8°C. The Cool Climate Chardonnay and Merricks Grove Chardonnay are best at 10–14°C in a generous white wine glass. The Cool Climate Pinot Noir and Merricks Grove Pinot Noir are best at 13–16°C in a Burgundy-style glass — allow 15–20 minutes of breathing. The Merricks Grove Pinot Noir rewards decanting for 20–30 minutes. The Heathcote Shiraz is best at 16–18°C with grilled red meats and slow-cooked dishes.
Explore our full Red Hill Estate range below and discover why this Mornington Peninsula founding estate — with its Merricks Grove single-vineyard expressions, its Cool Climate range, and its decades of experience producing wines of genuine regional character — is one of Victoria's most celebrated and distinctive wine producers.
