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Quealy Winemakers

Pioneering Mornington Peninsula

‘Pioneers’ is not a word we throw around loosely, but it’s precisely the right term to describe Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy. This power couple was not only part of the early wave of growers to begin seriously exploring and planting the Mornington Peninsula in the early ‘90s, but they were also the producer to identify this area’s potential with Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio and their work with this variety made the grape a household name in Australia. Study trips to Collio (1995), Alsace (1998) and the pilgrimage to Josko Gravner (2006), each had a profound influence on Quealy and McCarthy’s thinking—and led to some of Australia’s finest, and earliest attempts at quality skin contact wines: an adventure that continues today.    

Now there is a generational shift at play with Tom McCarthy, the eldest son of Kathleen and Kevin starting to make his mark. Tom McCarthy took over as chief winemaker at Quealy in 2019 with Kevin—as Tom puts it—as his “consultant and night shift”. While the outstanding vibrancy of the latest releases underlines what Tom is bringing to the table, he’s also quick to point out that he’s working with Quealy’s established house philosophy of many years, which includes no pressings (and therefore no need for fining), no acidification, low and late sulphur additions and a reliance on old oak.

Not content simply playing the role of trailblazer, today this pioneering Estate is being driven to new heights by a young team making their mark in both vineyard and winery.

In the vineyards, Quealy’s full-time viticulturist Lucas Blanck (son of leading Alsace vigneron Frédéric Blanck) has overseen a major renovation of the Balnarring home vineyard, including the implementation of organic certification, dryland farming, a rotational cover crop program (for nutrition and soil structure) and replanting nearly 20% of the vineyard to Ribolla Gialla, Pinot Grigio et al. His work underpins the quality we’re seeing in today’s wines and was recently recognized by the judges of the Young Gun of Wine Vineyard of the Year awards.

The Quealy range is a many-splendoured thing. Four vineyards lie at the heart of the portfolio. The Home Block in Balnarring was planted in 1982 and has some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines on the Peninsula. This is also the home to Quealy’s oldest Pinot Grigio, and the aromatic varieties of Moscato Giallo, Friulano and Riesling, as well as some more recent plantings of Malvasia and Ribolla Gialla. A little Chardonnay from the original plantings also remains. As of 2019, the Home Block is certified organic.

Kathleen Quealy planted the Musk Creek vineyard in 1997. Perched atop Main Ridge, overlooking Westernport Bay and the heads, it’s the coolest site in the portfolio, bestowing exceptional late-ripening Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. On the red soils of Merricks North, there’s the Tussie Mussie vineyard, and back in Balnarring we have Campbell & Christine, again planted by Quealy (for the owners) in 1994. Each of these sites is managed entirely by the Quealy team and, with the current exception of Musk Creek, all are farmed organically.

Much of the narrative surrounding this producer has focussed on the winemaking side of the story. Yet the Quealy team has also earned the right to be called pioneers for their recognition of potential in the region, the establishment of organic practice, and the planting of previously overlooked varieties they believed would (and did) excel.

Currently Available

Quealy Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2024

Quealy Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2024

The only blended Pinot in the Quealy range is drawn from all five of the estate’s premium vineyards, from the lower-lying Campbell & Christine to the late-ripening Musk Creek. Planted to different clones and with varying degrees of vine age, what binds these sites together is Quealy farming—led by viticulturist Will Byles, the estate manages every vine. All ferments were spontaneous and the fruit spent an average of 25 days on skins. The batches matured in older barrels for 15 months before assembling and bottling.Like others on the Peninsula, Quealy got a raw deal with yields in 2024. That said, winemaker Tom McCarthy explained that conditions were ideal in the run-up to and during the harvest period, resulting in small crops of incredibly concentrated fruit. He’s chuffed with the results. With the parcels selected for ripeness and gentle tannin, this is the estate’s most generous, early-drinking Pinot. It’s bright, generous and lifted, with lip-smacking, crunchy red fruits mixed with flowers and spice, silky weight and plush, soft charm. Moreish stuff.

Quealy Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2024
Quealy Splendido 2021

Quealy Splendido 2021

Previous releases were made in the pét-nat style, but from 2021 Quealy has changed the model. The team simply felt the traditional method would be more suited to the style and clarity they had in their mind’s eye, and judging from the quality, Tom McCarthy was bang on the money. The fruit was sourced from the 100 Hunts Vineyard in Merricks North, owned and managed by Joe Vaughan—recipient of the inaugural Mornington Peninsula Vineyard of the Year Award (2021). The vineyard grows Moscato Bianco especially for Quealy. The fruit was harvested before dawn, arriving cool and ready to press at the winery only minutes away. The 2021 is 100% Moscato Bianco, picked at 10.5 Baumé to preserve perfume and acidity. The grapes were gently pressed to a low yield, gifting filigree aromas and a nimble palate weight. The juice was settled, then racked to begin ferment. The wine was then tiraged and immediately bottled for secondary fermentation. Disgorgement was by hand and the wine was made without any sulphur or dosage. Brimming with character, it fizzes with expressive aromatics of white florals, chamomile and teacake spice. A skinsy textural intensity bolsters a clean, fresh and robust palate weight, and then there’s plenty of depth, focused by pristine freshness. Zero dosage works well here—the wine finishes with vibrant intensity.

Brimming with character, it fizzes with expressive aromatics of white florals, chamomile and teacake spice. A skinsy textural intensity bolsters a clean, fresh and robust palate weight, and then there’s plenty of depth, focused by pristine freshness. Zero dosage works well here—the wine finishes with vibrant intensity.

“Full of sweet notes. Honey and yellow flowers in bloom, ripe peaches, Golden Delicious apples and Turkish Delight with bitter almonds and a waxy quality. And then. Beautifully dry flavours with a pink grapefruit tang and grip, a savoury and spicy note of powdered cinnamon to finish. It doesn’t hit with big flavours but instead, it’s refreshing and lively with foaming bubbles. One of a few sparkling Moscatos I could drink and enjoy more than one glass of.”
92 points, Kasia Sobiesiak, The Wine Front
Quealy Splendido 2021
Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio 2024

Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio 2024

This is the fourth release of the Feri Maris, Quealy’s top Pinot Grigio bottling. The grapes grow in a single block at the home vineyard in Balnarring. Established in 1982, it was one of the region’s first vineyards and is now certified organic and managed without irrigation. The Feri Maris block was picked by hand on the 23rd of February—three weeks earlier than the previous year, giving you some idea as to the early nature of the 2024 season. The fruit was pressed as whole bunches and settled overnight before being transferred with plenty of solids to stainless steel (70%) and hogsheads (30%, half of which were new) for fermentation. The wine remained on lees with no stirring until bottling at the end of August. Tom McCarthy and the Quealy team have put in Herculean work in the vineyards over the last decade-plus, and with each passing season, it's crystal clear their efforts are now paying dividends. Partial barrel fermentation and maturation have become part of the winemaking process to help frame the intensity of flavour and texture delivered by the organically managed site. Dry-grown, old-vine potency and complexity shine bright in Feri Maris from 2024. The wine runs deep, rich and full, balanced by electric acidity and notes of bright orange, vibrant white florals, warming spice and mouthwatering salty tang on the fine laced, snappy finish. 

“There’s a synergy to this excellent PG, swinging between citrus and lithe acidity to texture and creaminess. Lots of flavour from vanilla-pod-infused pears, fresh galangal and oyster shell brininess with a hint of smoky-woodsy goodness. The fuller-bodied palate unfurls beautifully; it’s rich, but not too much, and the finish lingers long.” 95 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
95 points, 95 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
“Bright, light yellow colour; fainty nutty toasty aroma overlying honey, talc and pot-pourri. The wine is light and crisp in the mouth, vibrant and refreshing, with lively acidity and lots of energy cutting through the variety's innate richness. A spot-on grigio style.”
93 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“There’s a synergy to this excellent PG, swinging between citrus and lithe acidity to texture and creaminess. Lots of flavour from vanilla-pod-infused pears, fresh galangal and oyster shell brininess with a hint of smoky-woodsy goodness. The fuller-bodied palate unfurls beautifully; it’s rich, but not too much, and the finish lingers long.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Quealy Feri Maris Pinot Grigio 2024
Quealy Tussie Mussie Pinot Gris 2024

Quealy Tussie Mussie Pinot Gris 2024

Managed by the Quealy team, the Tussie Mussie vineyard was planted on the site of a former rose farm in 2007 (hence the name—tussie mussie is an old term for a flower bouquet). Located in Merricks North, the vineyard’s three hectares of Pinot Noir and Gris vines are rooted in the Peninsula’s most prized soil: deep, red volcanic clays. Combined with the site’s northern location and north-facing aspect, these soils allow for slow ripening—key to developing complexity while maintaining bright natural acidity.The fruit was picked over two passes in early and mid-March. The berries arrived at the winery in excellent condition: small, glossy-coloured and brimming with intense flavour. The fruit was pressed as whole bunches using a long cycle and fermented mostly in tank―10% was in barrel―with some solids. This was followed by seven months’ maturation on lees. It’s clear the 2024 season was a winner for whites at this address. This Tussie Mussie Gris is flush with fleshy fruits, flowers and spice with a delicious lick of marine salinity, seamless texture and balance and an elegant, powerfully flavoured close.

Quealy Tussie Mussie Pinot Gris 2024
Quealy Balnarring Pinot Grigio 2024

Quealy Balnarring Pinot Grigio 2024

This year’s Balnarring Pinot Grigio is drawn from the Hester and Campbell & Christine vineyards. Both sites are organically managed and lie less than three kilometres from the winery, where the fruit arrives within an hour of picking. The grapes were picked by hand on 14th and 15th March and pressed as bunches. The Quealy team use only the most delicate portion of the press cycle, meaning the juice yield per tonne tends to be extremely low. The juice is left to settle overnight without sulphuring. In the morning, the wine is racked off its gross lees and left to begin spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel. After primary fermentation, malolactic conversion ensues before naturally stopping due to the winter temperatures. The wine is sulphured and bottled unfiltered.As has been the case for a few years now, the 2024 season was marked by poor flowering and low yields of intensely concentrated, healthy fruit. It’s a wonderfully perfumed release, just teeming with apples, pears, blossoms and delicate spice. The texture is spot-on, too, with mineral tension, svelte phenolic grip and juicy, crunchy fruit all working in harmony. 

“Bright, light yellow hue; bright and fragrant, with fresh yeastiness overlying a whiff of gardenia. Delicious flavour, lots of fruit as well as the faintest impression of sweetness, all harmonious and charming on the farewell.”
92 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“The burst of pure fruit sets the scene here. Nashi pear, green melon, a note of gold kiwi and green grapefruit finish. White almonds and river stones plus mint. Very clean threads of flavour, intense and long, yet light and fresh. There’s a textural element here and a spicy white pepper note to finish. So very well made.”
94 points, Kasia Sobiesiak, The Wine Front
“Fruit off two Balnarring sites managed by Quealy for more than 10 years. Well, this comes up a treat. A refreshing, lively style but with substance. It's a display of poached and fresh pears, crunchy nashi, too, with some Japanese pickled ginger and quince paste. There’s a certain spicy exotica within that’s tantalising and the light spray of creamy lees matches to the fine acidity on the finish. Nice one.”
94 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Quealy Balnarring Pinot Grigio 2024
Quealy Campbell & Christine Pinot Noir 2023

Quealy Campbell & Christine Pinot Noir 2023

With Musk Creek and Tussie Mussie, this site completes the trio of Quealy’s premier-league, leased Mornington Peninsula vineyards. Established by doctors Campbell and Christine Penfold in 1994, it mainly features the MV6 clone. Some 114 and 115 were also planted, taking advantage of the premium clones that became available around the same time. Located on the coastal plain, it sits just 30 metres above sea level behind Balnarring village. It’s a dry-grown, well-exposed, north-facing site with alluvial clay and red soils washed down from Red Hill. Tom McCarthy tells us it produces “gorgeous, small bunches of glossy Pinot Noir”. Stylistically, Campbell & Christine sits at the more concentrated, muscular end of the Pinot spectrum.This site is famed for producing powerful fruit, and the paltry yields in 2023 have heightened this further. With that in mind, Tom took a mindful, gentle approach in the cellar. The fruit came off the vine in pristine condition on 23rd March and was destemmed to mostly small vats for fermentation, with a small portion fermented in barrel. The wine was pressed to barrel after 21 days for 14 months’ maturation in hogsheads, 25% of which were new. The wine was then bottled unfined and unfiltered in June 2024. This has serious flavour–juicy red fruits with some black cherry depth, earth, spice and a tea leaf/floral lift. It’s supple and seductive, with svelte structure and fine, fresh lines. Great length, too.

“Medium depth of colour, a slight tint of purple; smoky charcuterie and five spice to sniff, with subtle notes of angelica, char oak and spicy whole-bunch treatment, the palate sinewy, punchy and nicely concentrated, with fine emery-like tannins and a full finish. Lovely savoury follow-through.”
94 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
“While the fruit is destemmed – although 21 days on skins – this has appealing smoky, stemmy/twiggy aromas and flavours. There’s more: stewed rhubarb, cherry compote, daikon and a cooling menthol note. Mid-weighted with sweet orange, cedary oak and spices crossing over with tangy, juicy acidity and fine tannins. A touch astringent on the finish but refreshing all the way through.”
93 points, Jane Faulkner, The Wine Companion
Quealy Campbell & Christine Pinot Noir 2023
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AT-A-GLANCE

• T’Gallant founders Kevin McCarthy and Kathleen Quealy founded this pioneering grower-producer on the Mornington Peninsula in 2003.

• McCarthy and Quealy remain deeply involved, with winemaker son Tom McCarthy in charge of day-to-day operations.

• Farming is strictly organic across the estate's five vineyards: Home Vineyard (certified), Campbell & Christine, Musk Creek, Tussie Mussie and Halarah.

• These sites are home to vines planted as far back as 1982, making them some of the oldest on the peninsula.

• Quealy forged its reputation as a pioneer of aromatic whites (they were the first to plant on the peninsula), particularly Pinot Gris/Grigio.

• They also make a range of straight and blended whites from Italian whites (Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Moscato Giallo and Malvasia), as well as blended and single-site Pinot Noirs, a Chardonnay and sparklings.



IN THE PRESS

“Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy were among the early waves of winemakers on the Mornington Peninsula. They challenged the status quo - most publicly by introducing Mornington Peninsula pinot gris/grigio (with great success). Behind this was improvement and diversification in site selection, plus viticulture and winemaking techniques that allowed their business to grow significantly.”
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ James Halliday, Winecompanion.com.au

“This husband and wife winemaking team have done much to change the face of Australian wine, bringing pinot gris/grigio into the mainstream and championing alternative varieties ... The future looks bright for Quealy Winemakers, with eldest son Tom joining the business in 2012 ... Great things are seldom born of conformity.”
Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine

Country

Australia

Primary Region

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

People

Winemakers: Tom McCarthy, Kathleen Quealy

Availability

National

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