Product Description:
The Mount Mary Quintet 2017 is a wine of elegance and intensity, exemplifying the remarkable blend of Bordeaux varieties. This vintage is known for its floral perfume, red fruit profile, and complex spice, creating a well-structured wine with finesse and depth. The palate is vibrant yet dense, with layers of ripe cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant, complemented by hints of sweet roasted meats and enoki mushrooms. The finish is exceptionally long, marked by crisp acidity and a savoury, graphite edge. With aging potential, this wine will continue to develop complexity over the coming decades.
Maker:
Mount Mary Wines was founded by John and Marli Middleton in 1971, driven by a passion for producing fine, elegant wines that reflect the best qualities of French varietals. Having been inspired by their travels to Bordeaux and Burgundy in the 1960s, they sought to bring the same level of refinement and low-alcohol elegance to Australian wines. John Middleton, particularly motivated by a desire to craft a distinctive, refined Australian Cabernet, found the perfect site in the Yarra Valley for their dream project. Their vision led to the establishment of one of the most iconic wineries in the region, with Mount Mary continuing to be a family-owned estate that upholds a commitment to excellence. Today, the winery remains dedicated to producing handcrafted wines made from estate-grown fruit, ensuring full control over the quality and character of each bottle.
Philosophy:
Nestled in the heart of the Yarra Valley, the Mount Mary estate spans 40 acres and boasts a diverse range of soil types, from clay-rich loams to gravelly, ironstone soils. The vineyard is planted with 18 varieties, with an emphasis on classic Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. The region’s cool climate and unique terroir contribute to the slow, even ripening of the grapes, creating wines with exceptional balance and complexity. While not certified organic or biodynamic, Mount Mary’s vineyard philosophy emphasises sustainability and environmental stewardship. Practices such as minimal machinery use, composting, mulching, and cover cropping are employed to improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and reduce chemical use. By focusing on long-term sustainability, Mount Mary aims to produce wines that reflect the true character of the land while preserving it for future generations. The vineyard’s commitment to quality is evident in every bottle, ensuring that the wines consistently express the unique Yarra Valley terroir.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Floral, Perfumed, Spicy
A bouquet of violets, cigar box, nougat, mint, and sweet wet earth, intertwined with intense aromas of raspberry, cherry, and blackcurrant.
Palate: Medium-Bodied, Rich, Lively
A vibrant yet dense palate of cherry chocolate, baking spices, and crisp cranberry acidity, with a savory ferrous edge. The tannins are fine and the texture is beautifully balanced.
Finish: Long, Elegant, Savoury
A crisp, defined finish with graphite, perfume, and aniseed, leaving a lasting impression of elegance and complexity.
Reviews + Accolades:
It’s 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot. Mount Mary has hit a purple patch with their Quintet over the past few vintages, and their Royal Purpleness continues in 2017.
Such perfume. It’s head spinningly fragrant. I’m thinking violet, cigar box, nougat, spicy biscuits, mint, chocolate and sweet wet earth, along with a core of intense raspberry, cherry and blackcurrant. It’s medium bodied, lithe but dense, rich cherry chocolate sprinkled with baking spices, crisp cranberry acidity, high pixel tannin, sweetness of fruit with a savoury ferrous edge. The finish is supremely long, all graphite and perfume, crisp definition and aniseed trailing in the aftertaste. Fine and rare. Drink 2025-2047.
- Gary Walsh – The Wine Front, 97 points
I saw this wine blind recently (in a largely international tasting) and could not place the variety or region. I can see why here today: the fruit in the 2017 Quintet is almost unbelievably red fruited. It is buoyant and supple and speaks eloquently of raspberry seed, black cherry, red apple skins, blond tobacco, hints of sweet roasted meats (distant wafts only), enoki mushroom and red miso; the experience is inchoate and thrilling in equal measure. In isolation, perhaps, it may be easy to assume that the wine, given its age versus purity quotient, is simple. But given what we know about the capacity for aging carried by this vineyard/cuvée, I'd say you were grievously mistaken to judge it in that manner. This is a sleeper wine and one that hasn't even started to show us what it is capable of. It's a superstar. 13% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
- Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, 97+ points
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Country - Australia
Region - Yarra Valley, Victoria
Vintage - 2017
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13%