Founded in 1921 by the legendary Maurice O’Shea, whose contribution to Australian wine cannot be understated. Widely recognised for setting the standard for modern Australian winemaking, his ‘fanatical perfectionism’ saw him create Mount Pleasant’s signature style of elegance, balance and exceptional longevity. For 100 years, Mount Pleasant has produced iconic, elegant and expressive wines championing the fruit and individual character of our four vineyard sites. The rare ancestral vines include some of the oldest clone plantings in the country. This makes the Old Hill vineyard, while best known for Shiraz, the oldest Pinot Noir vineyard in Australia.

Handpicked off the 1965 Vines at Rosehill, the selected fruit was destemmed to open top fermenters for around 72 hours of cold soaking to extract colour and tannin without alcohol. The must was allowed to warm and was inoculated with a neutral yeast strain and pumped over three times a day.  The wine was pressed just prior to dryness and MLF underwent in tank. The finished wine was then racked to less than 20% new puncheons for 9 months prior to blending.

Quite an intense and brooding red – dark, blueberry, mulberry compote with green olive, saline minerality, clove-cinnamon brown spice, dried leafiness and an almost dried seaweed, umami-like quality. Potent. Tannins shimmy in a suede haze over the wine, tightening gently but with direction. Pitch perfect medium weight too. Serious, complex, very good. Date: May 2024; Alcohol: 14%; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2026-2043+; Rated: 95 Points; Mike Bennie; The Wine Front

Purple fruit, ripe raspberry, dried roses. A bit more grunt and weight than the Mountain C, thicker tannin structure, some liquorice richness, and a ferrous edge, with a long finish of super length. Such power in a medium-bodied wine, give it some time. Date: May 2024; Alcohol: 14%; Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2026-2043+; Rated: 96 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front