Montalto

John Mitchell and family established Montalto in ’98, but the core of the vineyard goes back to ’86. It is planted to pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling, shiraz, tempranillo and sauvignon blanc. Intensive vineyard work opens up the canopy, with yields of 3.7–6.1t/ha. Wines are released in 3 ranges: the flagship Single Vineyard, Montalto Estate wines and Pennon Hill. Montalto leases several external vineyards that span the Peninsula, giving vastly greater diversity of pinot noir sources and greater insurance against weather extremes. There is also a broad range of clones adding to that diversity. Montalto has hit new heights with its wines from these blocks. -JAMES HALLIDAY