2021 Mount Mary Vineyard Quintet

2021 Mount Mary Vineyard Quintet is Mount Mary's iconic red wine and is widely regarded as one of Australia's greatest Bordeaux blends. Since the first vintage in 1972, Quintet has been the estate's calling card. Made exclusively from the five classic Bordeaux grape varieties, the wine is known for its unparalleled elegance, refinement, and exceptional longevity. The 2021 vintage undoubtedly ranks among the very best ever produced. Wine Advocate awarded the wine 98 points , with Erin Larkin describing it as one of her favorite Cabernet blends from Australia due to the perfect translation of terroir, natural balance, and silky tannins. James Suckling (98 points) also ranks 2021 among the finest Quintets ever made, while Vinous (97+ points) particularly praises the combination of power, finesse, and enormous aging potential.

Mount Mary Vineyard

Mount Mary Vineyard was founded in 1971 by John and Marli Middleton with one clear ambition: to produce wines that could rival the great classics of Bordeaux and Burgundy. In doing so, elegance always took precedence over power, and every wine had to reflect the character of the Yarra Valley. Mount Mary now belongs to the absolute elite of Australia, and its wines are collected worldwide by enthusiasts and collectors.

The family estate is situated in the cool Yarra Valley in Victoria, where long growing seasons ensure a slow and even ripening of the grapes. As a result, the wines retain their natural freshness, aromatic precision, and exceptional balance. Quintet has been the estate's flagship for over fifty years and is regarded as one of the most iconic Cabernet blends of the Southern Hemisphere.

For more information about Mount Mary Vineyard, please refer to the Winery tab.

The vineyard and blending

The vineyards are cultivated without irrigation, leaving the deep-rooted vines entirely dependent on the terroir and natural rainfall. This dry-grown viticulture yields low returns with grapes of great concentration and terroir expression.

The 2021 Quintet consists of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec . This classic Bordeaux blend results in a wine in which power, elegance, and complexity are perfectly balanced.

The exceptional 2021 vintage

2021 is considered one of the finest vintages of the past decades in the Yarra Valley. The long, even ripening yielded grapes with perfect phenolic ripeness, fresh acidity, and exceptional aromatic precision. According to James Suckling, this vintage even ranks among the best Quintets ever produced and can rival the legendary 2015.

Vinification

All grapes are harvested by hand and vinified separately. The final blend is only assembled after aging. By treating each grape variety individually, Mount Mary is able to preserve the maximum expression of each plot. The wine then ages in French oak barriques, where the wood serves the wine entirely and never dominates.

Scent, taste and character

The nose opens refined and layered with aromas of cassis, red and black currants, pomegranate, and blood plum, followed by graphite, pencil shavings, violets, tobacco, cocoa, star anise, and salted liquorice. The wine continues to develop constantly in the glass, revealing ever-new aromatic nuances.

On the palate, the 2021 Quintet is simultaneously powerful and strikingly elegant. Dark fruit, fresh acidity, and a beautiful mineral tension are supported by an exceptionally refined tannin structure. Erin Larkin of Wine Advocate even calls the tannins the trademark of Mount Mary and compares their silky texture to finely carded silk. According to her, fruit and tannins are so perfectly interwoven that they are barely distinguishable from one another, a quality possessed only by the greatest wines.

Angus Hughson (Vinous, 97+ points) also praises the impressive balance between power and finesse and emphasizes the compact, refined style with layers of graphite, dark cherries, cranberry, violets, and subtle spices. James Suckling (98 points), on the other hand, commends the characteristic, graceful tannins and the restrained style, calling this vintage a serious contender for the finest Quintet since the legendary 2015.

The finish is exceptionally long, controlled, and mineral, with the wine continuing to evolve for minutes. Everything indicates that this 2021 will only continue to develop over the coming decades.

Drinking window and food and wine pairings

The 2021 Mount Mary Quintet drinks best between 2030 and 2055+, but can easily be aged even longer.

Preferably serve the wine at 16 to 18°C and decant it for at least two hours when young.

Perfect with côte de boeuf, dry-aged entrecote, venison, roe deer, rack of lamb, pigeon, duck, game dishes, truffle, mushrooms, and aged hard cheeses.