2018 Mount Mary Réflexion Chardonnay

Mount Mary

Australia / Yarra Valley / Mount Mary

THE VINTAGE
The start of the growing season saw particularly high rainfall in November and December 2017. Having navigated our way through a period of excessively high disease pressure in the vineyard, things were well set up from a soil moisture perspective giving us optimism for the remainder of the season. As it turned out, the significant rain event experienced around Christmas time would be our last drop of rain for more than three months!
The dry, warm conditions we faced from January through to the end of March put a huge amount of stress on our younger plantings which have been established (as per our older vines) without irrigation. Although these younger vineyards still produced some impressive fruit through this challenging season, we saw an opportunity to strengthen the Mount Mary wines by leaving certain parcels out of the final blends. These parcels have become our Réflexion wines for 2018.

TASTING
This wine was produced predominantly from our young Mendoza Chardonnay block planted in 2008. In warmer seasons, this clone tends to produce wines with a riper flavour profile.
The nose opens with melon, honeysuckle, just ripe pineapple and the faintest hint of oak. Predominant flavours on the palate are that of citrus, oatmeal and some creaminess contributed from the partial malolactic fermentation (a practice not carried out in Mount Mary Estate white wines). The palate is fairly lean and fine-boned but with great persistence and length of flavour. There is a hint of grip from the phenolics running through this wine. The acid is present but not overpowering and less obvious than typically seen in young Mount Mary Chardonnays. – Sam Middleton, Mount Mary

August, 2020

Gary Walsh

The Wine Front

94 points

A little stuck match, lime and nectarine, cashew and spice. It’s fine but flavoursome, firm acidity crunching its way through a nutty and creamy core, juicy and flinty, with tang, lime rind, and chalky feel on a pretty long finish. Lovely balance. Very good drinking here.

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About Mount Mary

Mount Mary is one of the great small wineries of Australia, established by Dr John Middleton in 1972. Production is tiny. Mount Mary is noted for both the character and high quality of its wines. Since the first vintage in 1976, it has established itself as one of Australia's most highly regarded producers, commanding a mythical status among wine collectors. The vineyard faces due north and captures optimum sunlight during the growing season. 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 Dr John’s fastidious respect for the landscape. Mount Mary has continued to take great steps forward while staying true to the vision of Dr John, whose son David oversees the business while grandson Sam Middleton has taken on the winemaking mantle with aplomb.
“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

About

Sam Middleton is a third generation wine maker 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 a vintage in Burgundy in 2009 and travelling extensively through other wine regions on a number of occasions since. 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.