2024 Port Phillip Red Hill Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula

Port Phillip Red Hill Pinot Noir from the Mornington Peninsula is an elegant, perfumed and finely textured wine that beautifully captures the cool maritime character of this celebrated Victorian region. Port Phillip Estate, founded by the Gjergja family, has long been recognised for crafting Pinot Noirs of precision and poise, reflecting both the unique terroir of the Peninsula and a thoughtful, minimal-intervention approach in the winery.

The fruit for this wine comes from the Red Hill vineyard, one of the estate’s highest and coolest sites, where the volcanic red basalt soils and coastal breezes produce grapes with delicate aromatics, purity and natural acidity. The grapes are hand picked and fermented with indigenous yeasts, with a portion of whole bunches included to enhance lift and structure. After gentle pressing, the wine is aged in French oak barriques, only a small proportion new, for around ten months before bottling.

In the glass it shows a translucent ruby hue. The aroma is pure and expressive, with notes of red cherry, cranberry and raspberry layered with rose petal, spice and a hint of forest floor. On the palate it is silky and vibrant, offering red fruit, subtle oak spice and earthy undertones supported by fine tannins and a long, savoury finish. It’s a wine of grace and balance, showcasing the elegance for which Mornington Pinot Noir is famed.

Port Phillip Red Hill Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with duck breast, mushroom risotto, roast chicken or salmon. It also complements soft cheeses or dishes with truffle and herbs. Best enjoyed over the next five to eight years, it will develop additional depth and savoury complexity with time in the cellar.