With Musk Creek and Tussie Mussie, this site completes the trio of Quealy’s premier-league, leased Mornington Peninsula vineyards. Established by Campbell and Christine Penfold—both doctors— 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 an 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, the Campbell & Christine sits at the more concentrated, muscular end of the Pinot spectrum.
Low yields in 2022 further ramped up the impactful fruit from this site, so Tom approached it with a gentle hand in the cellar. Different clones were picked over two days—9th and 16th March. Destemmed fruit fermented in small vats over 21 days before being gently pressed to puncheons (approximately 20% new) for 14 months.