2024 Quealy Pobblebonk Field Blend, Mornington Peninsula

Quite possibly the most delicious Pobblebonk to date. Riesling, friulano, pinot grigio and ribolla gialla are the friends, each fermented wild in used French oak, on full solids and later blended. It’s heady with meadow flowers, lemon blossom and hints of lemon verbena, really spicy with nutty, leesy aromas, and the palate is both textural and alive with fine acidity. Neat phenolics add to the pleasure of drinking this.

95 points Special Value  Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Light to mid straw colour in the glass, the bouquet savoury with some nutty notes possibly from barrel ferment, adding layers to the floral and spicy fruit aromas. Deliciously intense fruit on palate with a touch more dimension than the Quealy pinot grigios. It's truly more than the sum of its parts. A lovely drink, intense, long and harmonious, the finish lip-smackingly dry and appetising. (Certified organic) 22 Nov 2024 Drink 2024–2031

95 points Stuart Knox therealreview.com

Named after the Pobblebonk frogs that love life in Quealy’s vineyards and wetlands, this is an excellent introduction to Quealy’s Friuli-inspired blends. This year’s blend comprises Riesling (43%), Friulano (31%), Pinot Grigio (23%) and Ribolla Gialla (3%), all sourced from Quealy’s mature white vines rooted in the family’s organically managed estate in Balnarring. The Riesling and Chardonnay were planted in 1982, the Friulano was grafted onto 1996 Chardonnay roots in 2007, and the youngster Ribolla took root in 2018. 

Winemaker Tom McCarthy and his team picked and fermented the varieties separately with indigenous yeasts in old barrels with full solids. After blending, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration. After a string of low-yielding seasons, 2024 provided little reprieve for growers on the peninsula. Despite the low crop, Tom McCarthy describes the vintage as a joy to work with. “The fruit has incredible concentration.” It gleams with spring freshness. Meadow flowers and sun-kissed citrus fuse with nutty kernel and savoury notes, lending complexity. It’s pithy and fresh, with just the right weight and grip. A very strong showing this year; fans of this wine will not be disappointed.