Ocean drive: the cool climate wines of Mornington Peninsula

Surrounded by water on three sides, Mornington Peninsula is undeniably a maritime wine region. The cool coastal climate plays a significant role in the styles of wine produced here. But there’s more to Mornington than sandy beaches and sea breezes. Located 70km south of Melbourne – about an hour’s drive away – Mornington is one of 21 wine regions in the state of Victoria , nestled in the southeastern corner of Australia . At 976ha, it’s not the largest, but it certainly overdelivers when it comes to wine quality, producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay . Scroll down to see notes and scores for 14 superb wines from Mornington Peninsula [subscriber-content] [caption id="attachment_563366" align="alignnone" width="300"] Martin Spedding, owner of Ten Minutes by Tractor Credit Wine Australia[/caption] ‘Mornington is a very special part of Australia,’ says winemaker Martin Spedding, owner of Ten Minutes by Tractor. ‘It’s obviously right at the very bottom of mainland Australia. It’s got the Southern Ocean on one side: Bass Strait. It’s surrounded by water with Port Phillip Bay and the western port, so it has a very maritime climate,’ he adds. ‘For a very small region, it’s got an incredibly diverse landscape, and that difference in altitude, in aspect, the influence of the water bodies that sit around the peninsula, they really create an incredibly rich tapestry of terroir – which from a Pinot and Chardonnay perspective is fantastic.’ Cool customer [caption id="attachment_563364" align="alignnone" width="300"] Early ripening varieties flourish in mild summers. Credit: Wine Australia[/caption] Three bodies of water border the Peninsula. Port Phillip Bay lies on the west side, Western Port Bay is on the east and Bass Strait lies at the bottom. With no vineyard in the area more than 7km away from the ocean and crisp coastal breezes blowing all year round, it’s no wonder that the climate is cool. Indeed, the mean temperature in January – the warmest month of the year – is just 19.3℃. This comparative coolness means that disease pressure is low in the region. It also helps to create a long and balanced growing season for vines. The maritime influence means the risk of spring frost is also very low, so early-ripening varieties flourish in the mild summer and autumn, producing grapes packed with fruit flavour and with high natural acidity. In addition, Mornington Peninsula lies at a relatively low latitude for viticulture (38° 35’S) meaning that light during the growing season is abundant and intense. As a result vineyards require careful canopy management and grapes tend to develop thicker skins, which affects the tannins and colour of the final wines. Down to earth [caption id="attachment_563367" align="alignnone" width="300"] Mornington Peninsula’s ancient soils are very diverse. Credit: Wine Australia[/caption] The maritime climate is just one contributing factor to Mornington Peninsula’s unique terroir. Its geology and topography are also distinctive. The ridges and rolling hills of the peninsula were shaped by volcanic activity 60 million years ago and subsequent seismic shifts over the last 15 million years. Growers in the region refer to sites being ‘up the hill’ or ‘down the hill’. Tim Perrin, chief winemaker at Kooyong and Port Philip Estate explains. ‘Elevation is not huge, but Red Hill is the hill we speak of, and Main Ridge. They’re the two grape-growing areas that we refer to as up the hill. Then everything else down back towards Melbourne is lower elevation, down the hill.’ Soil profiles change with elevation. ‘Soils up in Red Hill and Main Ridge are more red volcanic from extinct volcanos; they become more sort of sedimentary limes as we come back down the hill towards more northern parts of the peninsula,’ says Perrin. Geologically, Mornington Peninsula’s ancient soils are very diverse. They range from yellow and brown soils over friable rock to well-drained clay soils; from volcanic red clay to deep, fertile sandy soils. This geological patchwork has been explored and mapped by the region’s growers, helping them to identify unique microsites – often within one single vineyard. Early days [caption id="attachment_563357" align="alignnone" width="300"] Pinot Noir is the region's most widely planted grape. Credit: Andre Castelluci/Wine Australia[/caption] Although winemaking history in Mornington stretches as far back as the late 1800s, the story of wine production in the modern era took off in the 1970s. Most of the region’s oldest vines date to this time. ‘Some plantings even go back before that,’ says Spedding. ‘But in terms of the last century, you’re talking of the 1970s.’ ‘If you look at current plantings that still exist, you’d look at the Myer family with Elgee Park,’ says Rollo Crittenden of Crittenden Estate. Mornington Peninsula’s oldest winery, Elgee Park was founded in 1972. ‘In the late 70s at Main Ridge Estate, Nat White was probably one of the first small commercial producers who had Pinot Noir,’ he adds. Small is beautiful [caption id="attachment_563360" align="alignnone" width="300"] Mornington producers such as Paringa Estate aim for minimal intervention in the winery. Credit: Wine Australia[/caption] Today Pinot Noir accounts for 49% of the region’s plantings, followed by Chardonnay at 27%. After those, Pinot Gris is the most widely planted grape (13%), with small amounts of other varieties including Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc (see At a glance box below). In fact ‘small’ is the watchword for Mornington Peninsula. Thanks to that geological and topographical patchwork, the region has developed as a network of around 200 small-scale vineyards, most of which are family-run. These boutique producers are by their nature focused on attention to detail. The result is a community of winemakers who have become increasingly committed to sustainable and regenerative viticulture, single-vineyard expression and low-intervention winemaking. Backed by solid technical know-how, they are pushing for pristine fruit quality to produce terroir-driven wines that require minimal handling in the winery. In the glass [caption id="attachment_563368" align="alignnone" width="300"] Credit: PeopleImages/iStock/Getty Images Plus[/caption] For wine lovers this pursuit translates into a range of Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that can easily rival classic benchmark styles from Burgundy – but for a fraction of the price. Expressive and elegant, they show considered balance between minerality and fruit, all underpinned by that distinctive cool climate freshness. Some can already claim to cult status; the best regularly appear on the winner’s podium at global wine competitions. Most recently Moorooduc Estate’s Robinson Chardonnay 2022 scooped a gold at Decanter World Wine Awards 2025. As vines get older and understanding of individual sites deepens, these wines will only get better. Vertical tastings are already proving the long-term cellaring potential of top ageworthy expressions. Personally I can’t wait to see what lies over the horizon for this distinctive maritime region as it sails into the future. [breakout] Mornington Peninsula at a glance Vineyard area: 976ha

Plantings: 59% red, 41% white

Grapes: Pinot Noir (49%), Chardonnay (27%), Pinot Gris (13%), Shiraz (4%), Sauvignon Blanc (2%), others, including Tempranillo and Gamay (5%)

Production: 1,863 tonnes annual crush in 2024

Climate: Maritime

Number of vineyards: 200

Number of wineries: 60

Source: Wine Australia Region Snapshot 2023-2024

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