Moorooduc Estate McIntyre Pinot Noir 2023 Mornington

Winemaking Notes
The Moorooduc Estate McIntyre Pinot Noir 2023 is crafted entirely from fruit sourced from the McIntyre Vineyard, where meticulous viticulture is overseen by Richard McIntyre and Jeremy Magyar with assistance from Peninsula Vinecare, whilst winemaking is guided by Kate McIntyre MW. The fruit was hand-harvested and 100% destemmed before undergoing wild yeast primary fermentation, allowing the vineyard's natural character to express itself fully. The wine spent 20 days on skins to extract colour, flavour and fine tannins, before being transferred to French oak barrels—10% new oak and 90% seasoned—where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation. This traditional approach softened the wine's acidity whilst adding textural complexity. The wine matured for 10 months in barrel, developing layers of complexity and fine detail without overwhelming the fruit's purity. In keeping with the estate's philosophy of minimal intervention, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration, preserving its natural character and allowing the exceptional quality of this small-yielding vintage to shine through.

Vintage Conditions
The 2023 vintage proved to be another challenging yet ultimately rewarding season that took the Mornington Peninsula on a roller coaster ride of climatic conditions. The vines were still recovering from the difficult 2021/22 season, and whilst early budburst in the warmer sites was greeted with spring sunshine and initial optimism, the weather turned cold, wet and windy for weeks during the critical flowering period. The already battered canes from the previous year struggled to flower and set fruit, resulting in another year of greatly reduced yields. However, after the difficult weather throughout fruit set, nature delivered a mild period of warm nights and cool to mild days over December and from veraison through to harvest. Whilst the yields were small, these cool, stable conditions over summer and in the lead-up to harvest resulted in a long, slow ripening period that proved ideal for developing exceptional quality. This extended hang time allowed the grapes to achieve full physiological ripeness whilst retaining bright natural acidity, ultimately delivering delicious wines of deep concentration, layered complexity and beautifully fine detail that more than compensate for the reduced crop levels.