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.