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Quealy’s Tussie Mussie vineyard is a three-hectare, true-north-facing site in Merricks North planted to Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The Pinot vines are in the lower and central part of the vineyard, and the clone is 777—or the ‘Morey clone’, to give its more romantic nickname. It’s a low-yielding cultivar, and Quealy prunes the vine to a single, arched cane, ensuring plenty of light and space around each cluster. These vines lie in rich, volcanic red clay, are dry-grown and managed organically, with certification due shortly. The 2024 season was another in a string of low-yielding years on the Mornington Peninsula, resulting in low crops of small bunches and berries with incredible concentration. The intense conditions provided the perfect lens through which to glimpse this vineyard’s potential.
The fruit was picked in mid-March and fermented in two batches: one with partial bunches and the other destemmed. It was gently pressed after 25 days and matured in a combination of new (25%), one-, two- and three-year-old barrels. The wine was bottled after 10 months on lees.