Mount Mary

Mount Mary was one of the foremost pioneers of the Yarra Valley after 50 years without viticultural activity. From the outset they produced wines of rare finesse and purity. The late founder, Dr John Middleton, practised near-obsessive attention to detail long before that phrase slid into oenological vernacular. He relentlessly strove for perfection and all 4 of the wines in the original Mount Mary portfolio achieved just that (within the context of each vintage). Charming grandson Sam Middleton is equally dedicated, assuming the winemaker mantle in ’11. In ’08, Mount Mary commenced a detailed program of vine improvement, in particular assessing the implications of progressively moving towards a 100% grafted vineyard to provide immunity from phylloxera and a move to sustainable organic viticulture. -JAMES HALLIDAY