2023 Triolet

65% Sauvignon Blanc, 23% Semillon, 12% Muscadelle

Triolet Overview

The Triolet blend, first produced at Mount Mary in 1987, was inspired by the white wines of Graves, Bordeaux. This wine is considered quite unique by Australian standards and has developed a reputation for ageing remarkably well.

The vineyard is planted to 65% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle. Each variety is picked at optimum ripeness, and is fermented separately. The Sauvignon blanc brings the mid palate flavour and richness, the SemilIon, freshness and focus from razor sharp acidity, while the Muscadelle gives the floral and aromatic top notes. 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.

Tasting Notes

The 2023 Triolet opens with a vibrant bouquet of ripe citrus, melon, passionfruit, and guava, lifted by delicate hints of fennel. Classic coastal notes of brine and sea spray bring a refreshing edge, adding aromatic complexity. The palate is concentrated, layered, and persistent. Flavours span a spectrum from citrus, pink grapefruit, and green apple through to passionfruit and gooseberry, without expressing anything overtly ripe. Subtle, savoury, nutty undertones notes and lees-derived richness add depth and elegance. Barrel fermentation with a portion of solids, combined with carefully extracted phenolics, has given this wine a fine, pithy texture. This structural component not only enhances food compatibility but also promises excellent potential for cellar maturation.

Production

Average yield: 35-40HVHa (2.ST/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: 14/3/23 - 18/3/23
Bottling date: 31/01/24
Alc: 13.5%

Halliday Wine Companion by Philip Rich

Published on 20 August 2025

'65/25/10% sauvignon blanc/semillon/muscadelle. Crushed and destemmed with 20% whole bunches in the press. Barrel fermented and matured for 11 months in seasoned barriques. Brightly coloured. Intense aromas of confit lemon, quince, oyster shell and white flowers. Even at this early stage, there's a real sense of harmony on the chalky, saline, structured and very long palate. If you have never tasted this wine, you are missing out on what I have long regarded as one of the Yarra Valley's, and indeed Australia's, finest white wines.'

97 Points

The Wine Front review by Gary Walsh

Posted on 1 September 2025

'Triolet, you’d have to say this is something of a MM signature wine. There’s not many SBS that add a little Muscadelle to give it that bit of extra perfume. These wines age very well.

Pie apple, grapefruit, quince, a little passionfruit and lime, a bit floral, a touch of cedar and cinnamon. There’s some lively tang, but also a silky feel through the wine, all calm and composed, chamomile perfume, a grainy feel to texture, salted pistachio, with a zesty citrus rind finish of excellent length. There’s pink grapefruit with a sweet green capsicum flavour to close. Very nice. Very specific. Yum, in short.'

95 Points

 

Tasting Notes

Aromatically, this wine opens with a vibrant lift of fresh lime, melon, and pear, supported by subtle oak-derived notes of brioche and toasted almond adding complexity. On the palate, a broad and expressive flavour spectrum unfolds. Lemon, lime, and grapefruit provide a bright and zesty core, transitioning seamlessly into riper tones of white peach, melon, and pear. Some well integrated, fine grained oak is present, contributing gentle layers of toasty, nutty complexity and creme brulee richness without overwhelming the fruit. The wine finishes with length, intensity, and poise. Fine acidity and textured phenolics create a structural backbone that supports both immediate food pairing appeal and long-term cellaring potential.

Production

Average yield: 3S-40HVHa (2.ST/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, PS8

Technical Notes

Harvest dates: 6/3/23 - 11/3/23
Bottling date: 30/01/24
Ale: 13.5%

Halliday Wine Companion by Philip Rich

Published on 20 August 2025

'20% whole-bunch pressed, the balance crushed and destemmed. Matured in French puncheons and barriques (30% new) for 11 months. A concentrated Mount Mary Chardonnay where the volume has been turned up in '23! An intense bouquet of white peach, confit lemon, fresh vanilla bean and oyster shells. There's a lot going on and this follows perfectly onto the mouth-filling, powerful, structured and harmonious palate. This will give pleasure for at least 10 if not 15-plus years.'

97 Points

The Wine Front review by Gary Walsh

Posted on 1 September 2025

Mount Mary is one of those wineries that don’t really need to send wines in for review, because they sell through very quickly, so I appreciate that they do. One of those things. I guess it’s because Sam Middleton is always stiving for excellence. I’ve been blacklisted by so many wineries these days, that I can’t even begin to count them. The best wineries take the rough with the smooth, though, admittedly, with MM, it’s pretty much always smooth. And that’s fine by me. Water finds its own level…

This is a rich and zesty wine. Gee, it has some power. I’m thinking pear, peach, pink grapefruit, almond friand, a little struck match complexity, fennel and white flower/vanilla perfume. It’s juicy, it’s flinty, heaps good stone fruit flavour and intensity, some lime zest, tight acidity, with a nutty and ripe finish of superb length. So much flavour, yet tightly coiled and fine. Outstanding.

96 Points

 

2023 Pinot Noir

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 Pi not noir planted (as of 2008) to American rootstocks and are of specific clonal material, namely MV6, 777,667, 115 and Pommard. In the winery the emphasis is on simplicity Our Pinot noir ferments are conducted using 100% whole berries and are left on skins for around 10-14 days. This is followed by16 months of barrel maturation consisting of 25% new oak barriques. Minimal (if any) fining and filtration is carried out prior to bottling.

Tasting Notes

2023 was an exceptional vintage for Pi not noir in the Valley and perhaps the best since 2017 (with a nod also to 2021). While we've never been fixated on colour as a marker of quality, it's worth noting: this Pinot noir displays the deepest, most vivid hue we've seen in many years. The nose is both expressive and layered, showing ripe notes of cherry, stewed strawberry, quince, and an undertone of earthy complexity that will become more prominent as the wine ages. On the palate, it's concentrated and beautifully textured, unfolding with the full spectrum of Mount Mary Pinot flavours ranging from wild strawberry and stewed quince to just-ripe plum. A defining hallmark of our Pi not noir is its tannin structure, a feature that we believe sets it apart from many Australian examples. The 2023 carries a subtle yet assertive spine of chewy, ripe tannins, lending shape and longevity, supporting the food-friendly nature of this wine. Drink now or cellar confidently for a further15-20 years.

2023 Quintet

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot

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. We believe the most critical winemaking decision is precisely when to harvest our grapes. With this wine in particular, the decision plays such an important role in dictating the style and quality produced as it determines the flavour profile, ripeness of tannins and the acid and alcohol levels. These varieties ferment on skins for around 12-16 days. This is followed by22 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.

Tasting Note

Harvest for Quintet usually begins with Me riot (typically between March 20-25). Malbec follows close behind, while Cabernet Sauvignon usually ripens toward the end of March and into early April. Cabernet franc and Petit verdot are the last to come in, often not picked until mid­April. Warmer weather through this final stretch is crucial to achieving full phenolic ripeness and in 2023, patience paid off. Aromatically, the wine displays the signature hallmarks of our flagship blend: cherries, plums, violets, rosehip, and subtle hints of cedarwood and clove-spiced oak. The palate is medium-bodied, poised, and refreshingly long, a rare quality that defines many of the great Cabernet-based blends. Flavours unfold in layers of cherry, ripe raspberry, blackcurrant, and a savoury note of bay leaf. The tannin profile is firm yet beautifully integrated, offering structure and depth without weight. We recommend cellaring for at least 5-10 years, while expect it will continue to improve for 30+ years.

Production

Average yield: 35-40HVHa (2.ST/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: 22/3/23 - 6/4/23
Bottling date: 25/11/2024
Alc: 13.5%

Halliday Wine Companion by Philip Rich

Published on 20 August 2025

'47/28/15/6/4% cabernet sauvignon/merlot/cabernet franc/petit verdot/malbec. In a hark back to cooler years, this was picked after the rain at the start of April. Brightly coloured, the result is a gorgeous wine; perfumed and beguiling with pure, blackcurrant fruit aromas, graphite, violets and subtle, oak-derived cedar and pencil shavings. The palate is classically medium bodied with lovely persistence, the fruit supported by balanced, fine-grained tannins and equally fine acidity. Like all great Mount Mary Quintets this will age gracefully over the next two decades but, given a good decant, is also balanced an approachable enough to enjoy in its youth.'

97 Points

The Wine Front review by Gary Walsh

Posted on 1 September 2025

'47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec.

This is a crisper, more acid than tannin based vintage, or at least that’s my reading. Blueberry, blackcurrant, nutmeg, peanuts and tilled earth, pencil and violet perfume, with a smoky pipe tobacco and a dried herb top note, some liquorice richness is there too, which is kind of surprising! There’s a coolness to this wine, though it’s still all blackcurrant and black olive, very finely etched with a bright cranberry and raspberry finish of excellent length. Tight and slightly tangy, and I reckon it will do so well with bottle age. I like the graphite/pencil thing on the finish very much, and the dried violet that carries a lingering fragrance as it closes. Gee, I love the perfume that this wine has, though tannin has a little more scratchiness to it than is typical. I’m thinking about this wine more than is usual, which is a good sign. In short, one of the more aromatic releases, though lesser in tannin quality. Still, it’s a beautiful thing.'

95 Points

 

2023 Marli Russell RP1