2021 Vintage Report
2021 was truly a spectacular vintage in the Yarra Valley. Perfect rainfall, adequate temperature and sufficient sunlight (with the absence of excessive spikes) produced fruit of the highest quality across all varieties. Furthermore, crop levels were healthy but not excessive leading to a beautiful balance across the vineyard.
The growing season in 2020 was a wet one, influencing the lead-up to 2021. Autumn, Winter and Spring all experienced above average rainfall, with the annual rainfall for the year at 1043mm.
The most remarkable feature of the 2021 harvest season was a very wet January followed by one of the driest February’s on record.
Triolet Overview
The Triolet blend, first produced at Mount Mary in 1987, was inspired by the white wines of Graves, Bordeaux. The vineyard is planted to 75% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon and 5% Muscadelle. Each variety is picked at optimum ripeness, and is fermented separately. The characteristics of optimum ripeness are different for each variety. We pick the Sauvignon blanc after the strong herbaceous flavours have disappeared, the Semillon when the acid is not too harsh, and the Muscadelle when the flavour intensity peaks. In the winery we use mostly older barrels for this wine, with the entire production being barrel fermented. Relatively hard pressing is employed to give the wine texture and lees stirring is carried out to add complexity and body. The Triolet is typically barrel aged for 11 months by which time the overt fruity flavours have diminished, and complex aromas are beginning to develop.
2021 Triolet
65% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon, 10% Muscadelle
The 2021 Triolet is defined by its fineness and delicacy. It is one of the most clean and pure expressions of this unique blend that we have made for quite some time.
The nose shows citrus, nashi pear, guava and a hint of passionfruit. The palate is light and fresh whilst showing an impressive persistence of flavour.
The phenolics in this wine are dialled back slightly compared with other vintages, resulting in a seamless flow through the palate rather than overt texture and grip.
Overall it’s a wine defined by its intrinsic complexity and subtlety. It is however a wine crying out for time in the cellar and will handsomely reward those with patience!
Triolet Production
Average yield: 35-40HL/Ha (2.5T/acre)
Fruit processing: Destemmed/Crushed
Primary Fermentation: Barrel fermented
Malolactic fermentation: No
Yeast: Various
Batonnage: Yes
Ageing: 11 months in 225L barriques, Barrels ranging from 2-8 years old
Irrigation: Nil
Technical Notes
Harvest dates - 25/2/2021 - 07/03/2021
Bottling date -15/2/2022
Alc – 13.5%
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Posted on 29 August 2023
"65% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon, 10% Muscadelle. One of the nicest BDX blends I’ve had, was the 1985 Haut Brion Blanc. I say this, because many don’t recognise how good these blends can be, not least with bottle age.
This is a complete wine. There’s guava, lime, lemongrass, a subtle smoky matchstick edge, lemon thyme, passionfruit pith, white flowers, a little cedar and aniseed. Tight, flinty, a burst of flavour, yet so controlled, pink grapefruit, lime rind, thistle, umami Parmesan rind, so much energy and presence, and the finish is so long and cool. There’s not many SSB blends as good as this, from anywhere. Insanely good."
96+ Points
Chardonnay Overview
We aim to make a Chardonnay with great length, which reaches a balance between richness and elegance. While some techniques are borrowed from the Burgundians, there are some departures from traditional practice in response to local factors, which ensures a unique wine. The most notable of these is that our Chardonnay does not undergo malolactic fermentation, as our local climate leaves the fruit with ideal acidity when it is picked. Our Chardonnay is matured in 30% new French oak barriques with the remainder in older barrels and large casks (1500L). The entire production is barrel fermented. Relatively hard pressing is employed to give the wine texture and lees stirring is carried out to add complexity and body. The Chardonnay is matured in barrel for 11 months prior to bottling.
2021 Chardonnay
This is an intense wine radiating concentration and complexity. It opens with a little struck match, honey, melon and pear on the nose.
The palate is beautifully weighted and concentrated showing all the hallmarks of Yarra Valley Chardonnay being purity of fruit, elegance and length. The palate is a touch riper than previous vintages, leading with flavours of pear, stone fruits and ripe apple rather than citrus notes.
French oak adds some structure, supporting the mid-palate richness of this wine. The textural component, so important to this wines style, is present but perhaps not as prominent as previous vintages.
Mount Mary Chardonnay has stylistically remained so consistent now for 50 years, despite the numerous Chardonnay industry fads, that have come and gone.
Chardonnay Production
Average yield: 35-40HL/Ha (2.5T/acre)
Fruit processing: Destemmed/Crushed
Primary Fermentation: Barrel fermented
Malolactic fermentation: No
Yeast: Various
Batonnage: Yes
Ageing: 11 months in 225L barriques
30% new, 20% second fill, balance 3-8 years old
Irrigation: Nil
Clones: Bernard 76 and 277, I1OV1,
Mendoza, P58
Technical Notes
Harvest dates: 19/02/2021 - 6/03/2021
Bottling date: 15/02/2022
Alc: 13.5%
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Posted on 29 August 2023
"A bit of a richer style for Mount Mary Chardonnay in 2021.
Pear, quince, some struck match and cedar spice. It has a fair amount of power, with a juicy acid line, a firm flinty texture, apple and pear, cashew and sizzled butter with sage, and a tight finish offering preserved lemon, apricot and a zesty tang. Long. Kind of intense, but very good."
95 Points
Pinot Noir Overview
Our Pinot noir vines were sourced from Western Victoria in 1971. This material was acquired before individual clonal selections were considered, and as such, our older Pinot blocks are a mix of many clones. A visiting French ampelographer (vine expert) once told John Middleton (Founder) that there were in the order of 30+ clones in our original Pinot block. Subsequent plantings of Pinot on this site have been selections from the original block, and the clonal selection has been somewhat refined. There are also some newer blocks of Pinot noir planted (as of 2008) to American rootstocks and are of specific clonal material, namely MV6 and 777. In the winery the emphasis is on simplicity. By today’s standards, relatively short fermentations are employed, typically 8-10 days. This is followed by 16 months of barrel maturation consisting of 25% new oak barriques. Minimal, if any, fining and filtration is carried out prior to bottling.
2021 Pinot Noir
There is no better way to describe this wine other than a quintessential Mount Mary Pinot noir. The nose opens with a hint of nougat, cranberries, stewed strawberry and quince. The palate is silky and seamless and flows effortlessly from front to back. Red fruit flavours dominate; namely cherry and strawberry with nuances of rhubarb and various root vegetables. This wine sees 20% new oak, adding a buttered mushroom creaminess to the mid palate. The tannins and acid work in harmony to give this wine structure, length and freshness.
Pinot Noir Production
Average yield: 30-35HL/Ha (2T/acre)
Fruit processing: Destemmed. 100% whole berries
Primary Fermentation: 2 tonne open top fermenters
Plunging 3times/day. 10-14 days on skins
Malolactic fermentation: Conducted in barrel
Yeast: Various
Ageing: 16 months in 225L barriques
25% new, 25% second fill and the balance in 3-6 year old barrels
Irrigation: Nil
Technical Notes
Harvest dates: 19/02/2021 - 23/03/2021
Bottling date: 20/07/2022
Alc: 13.3%
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Posted on 29 August 2023
"Simple, timeless labels on these wines from Mount Mary, and I’m glad they’ve not changed for quite some time. Sam Middleton thinks maybe the best release since the 2015.
Ripe strawberry, a little spice, pretty too with some rose and chamomile, mint and undergrowth. It’s medium-bodied, red berries and honey, with a savoury tobacco edge, the quality of tannin is excellent here, offering grip and a sort of tea leaf character, which puts me in mind of Barbaresco (though don’t mind me), and the finish is long, firm and shapely, and kind of ferrous and minerally. It feels young and pent up as at now, to some extent, though I reckon it will evolve into a classic MM Pinot with considered cellaring. A terrific release."
96 Points
Quintet Overview
Our vineyard is planted to Cabernet sauvignon (50%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet franc (15%), Malbec (5%) and Petit verdot (5%). The percentage of each variety that goes into the final blend changes with the season as factors such as fruitfulness and fruit set vary. The greatest influence we have over the quality of this wine is deciding when to pick each variety. This determines not only the flavours but the quality of tannins, the acid and alcohol levels. These varieties ferment on skins for around 12-14 days. This is followed by 22 months of barrel maturation, with 25% of the blend in large format oak (1500L or larger), and 30% in new barriques (225L). The remaining wine is matured in 2-5 year old barriques. Minimal fining and filtration is carried out prior to bottling.
2021 Quintet
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot
The 2021 is a Quintet to sit comfortably alongside our famed 1990, 2015 and 2019 renditions. The nose offers red cherry, violets, spice and some earthy undertones. The palate is driven by red fruits, intertwined with spicy French oak; however it is really the quality of tannin that defines this wine on the palate. Not since the 2013 vintage have we seen this quality and quantity of fine grain tannin present, giving this wine such an appealing structure and persistence through the palate. It will age tremendously well for at least 3 decades.
Average yield: 35-40HL/Ha (2.5T/acre)
Fruit processing: Destemmed/Partially Crushed. Each variety is harvested at optimum ripeness, processed, fermented and aged separately.
Primary Fermentation: Combination of static and open top fermenters. Pumped over 3 times/day. Average skin contact time 12-16 days.
Malolactic fermentation: Conducted in barrel
Yeast: Various
Ageing: 22 months in combination of large format barrels (up to 2000L) and 225L barriques. 30% new, 30% second fill and the balance in 3-6 year old barrels.
Irrigation: Nil
Technical Notes
Harvest dates: 12/03/2021 - 1/04/2021
Bottling date: 7/12/2022
Alc 13%
Winefront Review by Gary Walsh
Posted on 29 August 2023
"45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot. All the good things. I tasted a 2021 Coleraine the other day, and in many ways, this wine echoes that one. And last year I opened an 18 MM alongside an 18 Coleraine, and it was the same kind of thing. Obviously they are different, and yet, they have a kinship. I think it’s to do with this restrained intensity, acid and tannin balance, and quintessential Cabernet blend perfume. Just an observation really. If you’re feeling flush, you should try it yourself some day. I can pretty much guarantee you won’t have a bad time.
The pencils and the perfume, crushed small berries, essence-like in a way, with tobacco and a little crushed leaf. It’s medium-bodied, tense and so controlled, firm graphite tannin, a clean cranberry crunch to acidity etches it so finely, and the finish is floral, stony and supremely long. Frisson and finesse. It’s a magnificent wine, and one for the ages."
97+ Points
(Image: Mount Mary Vineyard - Mount Mary Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/mountmaryvineyard/)
2021 Vintage Release
The 2021 growing season in the Yarra Valley provided ideal conditions for our Marli Russell varieties. We believe the 2021 wines are the best we have made under the Marli Russell label. It has been 15 years now since we turned the first sod in our vineyard to plant these varieties and embark on this journey (how time flies...). Through much trial and error, both vineyard and winery (and with a little help from some respectable vine age of course), we are now at a point where we are confident to say we are producing wines reminiscent of both the style and quality we clearly envisaged way back in 2008!
The 2021 Season
2021 was truly an awesome vintage in the Yarra Valley. Perfect rainfall, adequate temperature and sunlight without any excessive spikes produced fruit of the highest quality across many different varieties. Crop levels were healthy but not excessive leading to a beautiful balance across the vineyard. 2020 was a wet year, influencing the lead-up to 2021. Autumn, Winter and Spring all experienced above average rainfall, with the annual rainfall for the year well above average at 1043mm. The most remarkable feature of the 2021 harvest season was a very wet January followed by one of the driest Februarys on record.
2021 RP1
50% Marsanne, 50% Roussanne
The blend this year is 50/50 Marsanne/Roussanne. It is of upmost importance this wine is not consumed too cold. Room temperature or just below is our recommendation to ensure this wine shines and shows its optimum potential. It’s a powerful, rich wine both aromatically and on the palate. The nose shows some citrus, peach, apricot ginger spice and a touch of reductive complexity. The palate shows citrus, pear and apricot flavours intermingled with some zesty, spicy complexity. When enjoyed at the right temperature there is an abundance of honeyed-creamy notes, offset by a textural component from well-balanced phenolics.
Winemaking Details:
Processing: Destemmed/Crushed to press
Primary Fermentation: 100% Barrel
Malolactic fermentation: No
Ageing: 11 months in Barrique, 20% new, 80% second and third fill
Batonnage: Minimal
Filtration: Yes (due no malo)
2021 RP2
60% Grenache, 25% Shiraz, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault
The nose shows the aromatics of all four varieties perfectly intertwined but still individually expressive in their own way. Red fruits of poached strawberry, raspberry and cherry, along with some darker nuances of stewed plum, liquorice and spice. The palate is dark and dense overlayed by the red fruits also detected on the nose added some sweeter, lighter, brighter characteristics. Tannin and acid stretch long and firmly through the core of this wine providing texture, stricter and length.
Processing: Destemmed, 100% whole berries
Primary fermentation: Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault – 100% destemmed, whole berries Shiraz – 30% whole bunches, 70% destemmed, whole berries
Ageing: (14-16 months)
Grenache -lLarge format oak (1600L)
Shiraz - 2-4 year old barrique
Mourvedre and Cinsault - older barrique
Fining and filtration: No fining, coarse filtration
(Image: Marli Russell Vineyard - Marli Russell Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/marlirussellwines/)