Mount Pleasant Wines has outlined its new direction – including removing vines and “reigniting the wonderful art of blending multiple varieties” – as it continues its rebuild under new ownership.
“For a number of years Mount Pleasant pursued the model of being everything to everyone, trying to survive in a flooded market, and moving away from its core values,” chief winemaker and general manager Adrian Sparks says in a letter to members.
“We are blessed with some of the greatest vineyards and stories in Australia, and these are fundamentally who we are today.
“Our strategy focuses on scaling back our offering and looking to the past for inspiration for the future.
“We have spent countless hours tending to vines that were planted because of the early 2000s wine export boom and were not part of our heritage.
“These young vine blocks were worked too hard and had very little money spent on them.
“We have therefore decided to remove these vines, grown for quantity rather than quality, and vines that are now suffering.”
Adrian says the focus into the future for Mount Pleasasnt will be on celebrating its history and nucleus.
“By making wines that reflect what Mount Pleasant is, and more importantly what has made Mount Pleasant great,” he says.
“Old Vine Shiraz, Lovedale Semillon, and reigniting the wonderful art of blending multiple varieties – all which make good wines, but combined will make great wines.”
Mount Pleasant has announced the release of the first of these blends – Light Dry White and Light Dry Red ($36 each).
“They were made in very small quantities in 2023 as we begin to understand the intricate art of blending these for the first time,” Adrian says.
“These are wines based on style, wines that evoke a sense of joy when drinking and a desire to learn more about the Hunter Valley and Mount Pleasant, something which O’Shea excelled at.
“We will continue to redefine Mount Pleasant by focusing on the detail of grapegrowing and winemaking.
“With reduced land under vine, this will allow us to take the time to hone in on the one percent adjustments that are required to make wonderful wines.
“Wines that show the hallmarks of Mount Pleasant, which is balanced, beautiful drinking wines in their youth, and timeless expressions of site as they age.
“It has been an ever-evolving 102-year history for Mount Pleasant.
“However, this is one of the most significant changes for Mount Pleasant in recent history, and one that will ensure the rich tradition continues.”
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