
It is a pleasure to offer members the latest release from Mornington Peninsula’s Kooyong Vineyard. The 2022 Single Block and 2023 Estate wines offer a fascinating snapshot, as the previous head winemaker Glen Hayley stepped down after the 2022 vintage, making these the last to bear his stylistic mark. Tim Perrin has taken the helm from 2023 and these wines demonstrate a subtle but notable shift in style, maintaining Kooyong’s hallmark precision and finesse but with a touch more mid-palate generosity.
Order by midday on Thursday 30th May
Kooyong Vineyard forms part of the Gjergja family estate, along with Port Philip Estate and is planted to 40 hectares of vines on well-drained, low-vigour sedimentary clay loams, about 50 miles south of Melbourne.
Specialising in pinot noir and chardonnay (although their pinot gris is not to be missed), these wines draw a fascinating parallel with Burgundy. The rolling hillsides and varying aspects of the region create countless microclimates, perfectly suited to these Burgundian grapes. The moderating effect of the ocean surrounding the peninsula contributes towards a cooler climate and ample rainfall, which ensures freshness, vibrancy and elegance in the wines.
2023 was, overall, a cooler season, with small quantities of pure and vibrant wines produced. The La Niña weather pattern brought ample rainfall. Indeed, this was the wettest season for the region in 25 years. Flowering was long and slow but the vineyards remained exceptionally healthy, thanks in part to the skill of the extremely talented viticulture team. The weather became warmer and ideal for steady ripening in December and harvest commenced in March. The resultant wines are pristine, vibrant, succulent and pure. The 2023s demonstrate a more generous and juicy style, with a little more matter than Kooyong’s famously light and focused showing over the years. The 2023s are not to be missed and are in marginally more abundant volumes than the 2022s, so there is likely to be less disappointment upon allocation.
2022 was the last vintage for winemaker Glen Hayley before moving on to pastures new and was an excellent release for long-term followers of Kooyong, as the wines embody the delicacy and focus that he brought to them. It was an excellent but tiny vintage. A severe storm at flowering obliterated yields by up to 60% in areas of Mornington Peninsula but mild and dry conditions ensured the grapes didn’t overripen, and quality was exceptional. Although I am sure Hayley would feel this wasn’t his easiest vintage, the resultant wines are a fitting swansong to underline the end of his exceptional stint at this excellent winery. The quantities of the single vineyard wines are miniscule but well worth going in for.
If you are new to Kooyong and unsure of where to start, Clonale Chardonnay 2023 and Massale Pinot Noir 2023 are particularly fine in this release and offer an excellent taste of Mornington Peninsula, through the elegant but generous lens of Tim Perrin’s winemaking approach.
As Burgundy becomes more and more expensive, the future looks bright for the Mornington Peninsula and excellent producers such as Kooyong. These are special wines and the pinot noir and chardonnay experience that they offer can rival that from Burgundy, but at exceptional value in comparison. Quantities are small but these are pristine, elegant and extremely special fine wines which I hope you thoroughly enjoy.