2024 Crittenden Kangerong Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula

Crittenden Kangerong Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula is a beautifully expressive, site-driven wine that captures the cool coastal elegance and gentle complexity for which this region is celebrated. Crafted by Rollo Crittenden, who continues his family’s pioneering legacy of sustainable viticulture and minimal-intervention winemaking, this Pinot Noir reflects the purity, fragrance, and fine structure that define the best from the Peninsula.

The fruit is sourced from mature vines grown on the family’s Kangerong vineyard near Dromana, where red volcanic and sandy loam soils over clay provide both concentration and lift. The maritime influence of Port Phillip Bay brings cool nights and long ripening periods, allowing for vibrant acidity and subtle spice. Grapes are hand harvested and fermented with a portion of whole bunches to add aromatic complexity and gentle tannin texture. The wine is then matured in French oak barriques, mostly seasoned, for about ten months to enhance depth while preserving freshness.

In the glass it shows a bright ruby hue. The aroma is pure and inviting, with red cherry, wild strawberry, and raspberry layered with forest floor, dried herbs, and subtle oak spice. The palate is silky and balanced, offering juicy red fruit, gentle savoury notes, and fine-grained tannins that lead to a long, graceful finish. It’s a wine of harmony and quiet sophistication, true to both the site and the season.

It pairs beautifully with roast duck, mushroom risotto, pork belly, or grilled salmon, and it’s equally at home with charcuterie or soft cheese. Delicious now for its freshness and perfume, it will continue to evolve gracefully for up to ten years.