Yarra Valley to most people equals cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. And while this is true of small-scale but high-profile producer Mount Mary, it has also found fame with its Bordeaux blends.
To explain the estate’s continued belief that these wines can and should find a place in the Yarra, third generation winemaker Sam Middleton provided a short history lesson.
Founder John Middleton was puzzled that no other Yarra winemakers were trying to emulate the finesse of the great wines of Europe
When the valley (a loose term here, it’s a long way from the Northern Rhône, topographically) was first planted in the 1870s, its fame rested on the production of Cabernet-based wines. But in the 1920s all the vines in the area were pulled out – not, Middleton believes, due to phylloxera (which arrived here in 2006) but because of an economic downturn, the growing popularity of fortified wines and the resulting pivot to other agricultural crops.
So a Bordeaux blend is entirely in keeping with the history of the area, even if most of us had forgotten about it. Mount Mary also crafts fine, award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but it is the Quintet which makes this producer part of a select bunch of estates committed to Cabernet here.
The generation game - Sam, Claire and David Middleton (l-r)
A dream realised
Back to the history: Sam’s grandfather, John Middleton, was instrumental in the re-birth of the Yarra, back in the 1970s. Practising as a medical doctor in the local area, he nevertheless travelled often to Burgundy and Bordeaux. During the Second World War, his ambition to be a pilot was thwarted when it was discovered that he was colourblind.
Middleton's role changed to one in meteorology and this interest in climate, coupled with his knowledge of classic French wine areas led him to the conclusion that the Yarra Valley’s climate lay somewhere between Burgundy and Bordeaux. At the time the fashion in Australian wines was for warmer climate, rich, extracted styles. Puzzled that there weren’t more winemakers looking to emulate the finesse of the great wines of Europe, he started planting in 1972.
Managing what rainfall they get in the Yarra is key
There are a couple of ways to interpret terroir as a winemaker: the Burgundian one, where the nuances of site are explored through the lens of a single variety; or the way that the Middleton family have done things. They have planted 15 different varieties on a single vineyard site of 18 hectares, each illustrating different facets of the land.
Mount Mary is on the warmer valley floor, with sandy clay loam soils, which combine to make the site suitable for the wide range of grapes they grow. While phylloxera has not yet reached Mount Mary, Middleton acknowledges that with 60-70% of vineyards in the region affected by it, it is only a matter of time. They don’t use machine harvesters or any equipment brought in from outside, but can’t keep the kangaroos out, which Middleton feels are the main way that phylloxera will find a way in.
In preparation they have ripped out some underperforming blocks, and they carry out lots of testing on anything that looks suspicious. Around 50% of their vines are now on rootstocks as a result of replanting.
Third generation winemaker Sam Middleton, London tasting, November 2025
Middleton is also moving away from conventional viticulture’s reliance on chemicals and herbicides and is “as close as [he] can get” to organic viticulture, though certification is probably not on the cards for now. Rainfall in the growing season means substantial downy mildew pressure and Sam is loath to be confined to using copper, and the accompanying multiple sprayings from diesel-burning tractors. Middleton’s priority has been to eliminate chemical herbicides, planting cover crops every second row and applying lots of compost, covered with straw mulch to prevent moisture loss in this dry grown vineyard.
As in every wine region, the changing climate is having an effect. When the vineyard was planted, growers could count on a healthy 850mm of rain. Now they might get just 300mm, though it could be as high as 1200mm, so managing what rainfall they do get is key.
The four Estate wines - the pillars of this iconic estate
Mount Mary Triolet 2022
Triolet, the white counterpart to Quintet, is based on a classic Graves white, with 65% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle, all grown on own roots. It has great ability to age and a focus on secondary complexity, savoury notes and textural components. Middleton has backed away from the lees stirring of the past, and while the wine is still oak fermented, none of it is new, and malo is blocked.
It has a lifted, herbaceous nose with textured breadth on the palate, where initial apricot and creaminess give way to savouriness, then a citric lift on the finish.
Mount Mary Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay has been planted since the beginning, with the first commercial release in 1976. Middleton feels that the Mount Mary style has been consistent over the years, while elsewhere Chardonnay has see-sawed between richer styles and early picked versions.
This wine sees 30% new oak, but again no malo, to promote a textural element. Middleton has upped the amount of whole bunch to between 20-30% to retain fineness and purity.
I found it bright, lively, and balanced, with some more mature notes lurking underneath. The palate has length, bright acidity, and a gentle intensity. It is a precise and taut wine with great drive.
Mount Mary Pinot Noir 2022
80% of this wine is from the old blocks still own-rooted, with many different clones. The 2023 vintage was crowned 'Pinot of the year' at the Halliday 2026 Wine Companion Awards.
Middleton states that this is the wine that has changed the most since its first release in 1976. The winemaking team incorporates lots of whole berries, but no whole bunch. Unlike many other growers, Mount Mary looks for extraction in its Pinot Noir, to give a more savoury, earthy, food friendly style which ages well. The wine spends 14-16 months in oak, a quarter of it new, to bring some tannins to the wines.
The wine is light in colour, but with trademark savoury complexity to the fore. The nose brings a sense of ripeness, with a richly fruited palate, some breadth and even a hint of savoury bitterness on the juicy finish.
Mount Mary Quintet 2022
For Middleton, Quintet is Mount Mary’s most compelling wine, the one which most strongly reflects the region.
The blend is paramount here: making a straight Cabernet in the Yarra is tricky. The Merlot, though perhaps only 25% of the blend, is instrumental in providing a comfortable backing for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. There are also cameo roles for Malbec and Petit Verdot at 5% each, and the wine spends 22 months in one third new oak.
The Middletons have worked to bring a little more ripeness and drinkability since the 11% alcohol Quintets of the 1970s. Still designed to be drunk with food, they can now be enjoyed young, but will reach their peak at 10-15 years.
2022 is, says Middleton “As ripe as the Quintet gets”. I could definitely sense ripeness on the nose of this beautifully poised wine. The palate has lovely juiciness and velvety texture, with ripe tannins and flavours of dark chocolate, juicy plum and bramble.
The wines of Mount Mary are imported and sold in the UK through Pol Roger Portfolio which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about them click here.
