2021 Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio, Mornington Peninsula

The label states fruit off the single home block, planted in 1996 and organic; hand picked, whole-bunch pressed, wild-yeast ferment, 25% in barrel, with some mlf. It’s a refined, textural pinot grigio in the style of the finest Italians. Quince, not-quite-ripe pears, lemon cream, daikon and tonic water with tangy acidity that tempers the texture to keep it smooth and fine.

95 points Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio is a benchmark Australian expression of the variety, one that helped redefine what Pinot Grigio could be in this country. Grown on the Mornington Peninsula, the vineyards sit close to the ocean, where cool maritime influence, long ripening and steady winds preserve freshness while building texture. The name Feri Maris, meaning wild seas, perfectly captures the coastal energy and saline edge that runs through this wine.

Quealy is a foundational name in Mornington Peninsula wine, with Kathleen Quealy widely recognised as the pioneer of Pinot Grigio in Australia. This wine is a direct reflection of that legacy. Feri Maris is made in a deliberately Italian inspired style, dry, savoury and textured, rather than aromatic or fruity. Fermentation is handled gently, often with some time on skins, to build grip and complexity while keeping the wine firmly food focused.

In the glass, the wine is pale straw with a subtle grey hue. Aromas are restrained and complex. Nashi pear, green apple and citrus peel lead, followed by notes of almond skin, white flowers and a faint saline lift that hints at the nearby sea.

On the palate, Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio is dry, savoury and beautifully textured. Pear and citrus flavours sit within a framework of bright acidity and gentle phenolic grip, giving the wine shape and persistence. The finish is long, clean and mineral, with a faint bitterness that is classic to northern Italian Pinot Grigio and incredibly appetising.

This is a wine made for the table. It pairs superbly with seafood, oysters, shellfish, antipasti, grilled vegetables or simple pasta dishes. Drinking perfectly now for its freshness and texture, it will also hold and evolve over three to five years, gaining more savoury depth.

Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio is confident, distinctive and deeply influential. A coastal, Italian inspired Pinot Grigio that remains one of Australia’s finest and most authentic examples of the style.