Crittenden Estate
Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Crittenden Estate is one of the Mornington Peninsula’s few multi-generational vineyards & wineries, with the Crittenden family having owned and operated it since its inception in 1982.
After growing up on the farm the second generation Crittendens are now fully immersed in the family business. Founders Garry & Margaret’s son Rollo has taken over as Winemaker & Viticulturalist whilst daughter Zoe is Marketing & Communications Manager.
At the absolute heart of the Crittenden family’s success is the sustainable and regenerative viticulture practices which they initiated in the mid 2000s and have continued to evolve ever since. These practices have considerably elevated the wines they produce, a fact which has been recognised locally and abroad with several noteworthy awards both for quality and process having been bestowed on the family in recent years.
2022 Chardonnay ‘Peninsula’
Winemaking:
Hand harvested fruit that was whole bunch pressed to a mixture of new, one and two year old French oak barriques. Fermentated with natural / wild yeast. 30% of the wine has undergone a malolactic fermentation.
Each planting provides unique and desirable characters to the finished blend. Early harvest and minimal oak & malolactic reliance has helped retain its vibrancy with characters of white stone fruit and citrus abundant on the nose and palate. Extended time on gross lees has further enhanced the textural complexity of the wine while the retained natural acidity ensures a fresh clean finish.
Tasting Notes:
“Soft and supple, rich and round, heartland stuff from Mornington and chardonnay. Good, bold perfume, stone fruit and vanilla, sweet spice, cinnamon-ish and quite a bit of wet fern character. Lots of flavour but has this lively core of lime juice going on and a flinty, chalky grip to finish. Serious chardonnay vibes, but drinkability up high. Good gear.” 93 pts. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
The 2022 Chardonnay Peninsula shows the season's power as it bursts with nectarine, peach skin and melon aromas that are slightly one-dimensional with a solid backing of vanillin oak. Good richness and density of flavor are well supported by tangy acidity. Another touch of cinnamon oak adds complexity to the finish. Angus Hughson, Vinous
2022 Pinot Gris ‘Peninsula’
Hand harvested, whole bunch pressed and wild yeast fermentation. Following ferment the wine was immediately sulphured to prevent malolactic conversion and then aged on gross lees for 6 months to enhance complexity. Savoury aromatics of musk and spice with textural flavours of pears and lemon juice.
This well-constructed 2022 Pinot Gris offers excellent value thanks to generously proportioned aromas of lemon pith and pear drops laced with gentle spices. It shows nice texture and fruit definition, with balanced acidity adding focus to a well-weighted and silky finish. 91 pts. Angus Hughson, Vinous
2020 Fume Blanc ‘Peninsula’
“Mineral, clean and fresh, with no blatant sauvignon blanc character” “Grassy, citrus, slight grapefruit character. Softly textured with a subtle midpalate.”
“A quirky and adventurous wine. On the nose, beer nuts, yeasty lees and a wild but intriguing array of citrussy lemon-like fruits but dominated by that nutty character. The palate is impressive, with obvious power and concentration, loads of ripe fleshy red apple and juicy pears, perfect phenolic grip – an intense but very good wine.”
“The nose is very much riesling-like, with a strong lime aroma profile, underpinned by some lovely briny and elderflower characters. On the palate, there is a nice mouthfeel with excellent weight and balance. Here we are on rose, white flower and citrus notes, leaning on the grapefruit side. Refreshing and thirst-quenching.”
2022 Pinot Noir ‘Peninsula’
Grapes for the Peninsula Pinot (from Balnarring and Main Ridge) were hand harvested and immeditately destemmed to small open fermenters without crushing. The must (juice, pulp, seeds) were statically cooled to 9 degrees celcius and a protective CO2 layer was mainatined to emable a cold soak prior to ferment. Each fermenter was allowed to gradually warm and allowed to reach 32 degrees. The wine was then pressed off skins at dryness to a mixture of new, two and three year old French oak barrels for nine months. Malolactic ferment occurred naturally.
This wine walks the middle ground between being fruit driven and more complex and structured. Each of the contributing clones, 114, 115 and MV6; bring a unique character to the wine. Ideal ripening conditions and minimal yields have also contributed a level of complexity and a bright ruby red colour which further enhance the length and ageability of the wine. The texture is rich and structured with soft tannins and a good acid finish.
This well-pitched 2022 Pinot Noir shows a solid mix of dark cherry, mushroom and aged spice aromas. A supple, enticing texture with plummy notes is filled out by older oak to offer a rounded, supple finish. 90 pts. Angus Hughson, Vinous
2020 Chardonnay ‘Kangerong’
Although a short stone’s throw is all that separates the two chardonnay blocks, each planting provides unique and desirable characters to the finished blend.
Winemaking:
Early harvest and minimal oak & malolactic reliance has helped retain its vibrancy with characters of white stone fruit and citrus abundant on the nose and palate. Extended time on gross lees has further enhanced the textural complexity of the wine while the retained natural acidity ensures a fresh clean finish.
Tasting Note:
This tastes great. Its saline minerally and yet has a juicy, stone fruit thing happening. Lots of flint and steel to sniff on, the same stone fruits too. Long in flavour, pithy too, grapefruity to finish. Holds great shape, a refreshing, strong chardonnay with brightness on high. Very enjoyable. 93 pts. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
This classy single vineyard 2021 Chardonnay is right in the slot for the Mornington Peninsula, thanks to its purity and complexity. Layers of nectarine and satin oak underpin delicious savory tones of almond bread and oatmeal with gunflint touches. A creamy, slightly plump mouthfeel is then punctuated by fresh acidity through to a finish of reasonable length. The whole package is already open for business, so it is more of a medium-term proposition here. 91 pts. Angus Hughson, Vinous
2020 Pinot Noir ‘Kangerong’
With seven individually cultivated and vinified clones combined, the Kangerong Pinot Noir truly is a wine greater than just the sum of its parts. Each clone provides a unique attribute, whether it be aromatics, fruit characters, structure or vibrant acidity, all culminating in a wine of absolute pedigree and distinction.
Winemaking:
Thoughtful oak handling and extended bottle conditioning prior to release have helped meld and soften these components in readiness for enjoyment though it will certainly benefit from further cellaring.
Tasting Notes:
The perfumed 2021 Pinot Noir Kangerong is a pretty wine notable for its delicacy and subtlety. Cranberry and raspberry aromas are topped with traces of rose petals and spice. Dry, juicy, tangy, thin, earthy tones provide a lingering, savory finish. 91 pts. Angus Hughson, Vinous
Line and length are its strong points in the context that there isn’t a lot of flesh. Strawberry, spice and tonic-like herb notes run through a slender, sinewy palate. I looked at this over the course of 24 hours and it remained muted aromatically, though through that time the palate stretched out appreciably. There are some smoky/reductive notes here too, which adds to the complex impression. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
2021 Chardonnay ‘The Zumma’
Moderate weather conditions in 2020/2021 led to a prolonged ripening season, which in turn allowed the whites from our Dromana vineyard to retain vibrant acidity and elegance.
Winemaking:
The fruit for this Chardonnay was hand harvested & whole bunch pressed to a mixture of new, one and two year old French oak barriques. All barrels were allowed to commence fermentation spontaneously with wild (indigenous) yeast, with temperature control being exercised during the fermentation process to ensure the retention of clean fruit characters. The wine was fermented in barrel for 11 months.
Tasting Notes:
“It comes to mind that I’d love to see a chardonnay (flor) savagnin blend from Crittenden. Hopefully this post becomes a sophist instruction.”
The 2021 Zumma, a beautifully pitched and elegant style of Chardonnay, delivers a tight core of chalky, citrus notes with almond meal nougat barrel ferment closely aligned. Tangy ruby grapefruit flavors provide a beautiful opening before settling into a silky, fresh palate with a long, fine, chalky finish. The 2021 is a lovely wine that needs a little time to flesh out. 93 pts. Angus Hughson, Vinous
Mellow, supple, easy going chardonnay. Some ripe stone fruit characters, some tart citrus, a little graphite mineral character, a bit of briny acidity – all of this wrapped up nicely and flows beautifully and relaxed through the palate,. Effortless stuff with lots of charisma, a super pleasing expression here. Pass the prawns. 92 pts. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
2021 Pinot Noir ‘The Zumma’
A cool summer and prolonged ripening season allowed the 2021 reds to develop amazing structure and depth of colour.
Winemaking:
These Pinot Noir grapes were hand harvested and majority destemmed (15% whole bunches remained) to French oak fermenters. The ferment was hand plunged twice per day while temperatures were retained at 32 degrees to retain the lovely aromatics. Once pressed the wine was then fermented in a mixture of new and recently tight grain French oak barriques and Puncheons. A natural malolactic ferment occured and the wine then spent 11 months in barrel. It was bottled without fining or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
The 2021 Pinot Noir Zumma is a step up from the Pinot Noir Kangerong, sourced from different blocks on the same property. Thanks to the cooler vintage, it has nice poise and delicacy, with wild strawberry, charcuterie and star anise well supported by fine-grained oak. Excellent palate tension follows thanks to fresh acidity with tightly packed herbs, dark cherry and spice flavors. Immaculate tannins rise up to provide a gentle grip to finish. The 2021 is young, taut and built to last. 92 pts. Angus Hughson, Vinous
You can see the components here but it’s a wine of structure and length and so time, given that the fruit is ripe, will be kind. Sweet strawberry, woodsy spice aplenty, stringy tannin and a veneer of cedarwood oak all make for a positive, in-need-of-time impression. Integration is the concern, no more or less, but it will come together. 92+ pts. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
2021 Chardonnay ‘Cri de Coeur’
Winemaking:
The 2020 season was punctuated by both the hardship and generosity that nature can provide. The season's naturally low yields and ideal ripening conditions have resulted in some exemplary wines which will undoubtedly stand the test of time.
The hand harvested fruit was gently whole bunch pressed to a mixture of new and one year old French oak barriques. The barrels were allowed to commence fermentation spontaneously with wild (indigenous) yeast, with temperature control being exercised to ensure the retention of clean fruit characters and aromatics. The wine was then stored in the same barrels for 11 months, with occasional lees stirring early on. Approximately 60% of the wine underwent malolactic conversion. In February of 2020 the barrels were blended in tank where the wine was cold & protein stabilised and filtered in readiness for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
A beautifully scented Chardonnay of real pedigree. This has roasted hazelnut, fennel, yellow kiwi and vanilla pod aromatics, wrapped in a flinty, steely bundle. On its toes and poised, the 2020 Cri de Coeur Chardonnay has real intensity and drive to the palate, a little milky run through it but a whip-crack acid line that belies its vintage. It sees 50% new French oak but you would be hard pressed to tell, such is the glowing aroma of the fruit and general sense of cold climate structure.
2021 Pinot Noir ‘Cri de Coeur’
Winemaking:
The pinot noir fruit for the Cri de Coeur is selected from the best of the season, which is hand-picked, hand-sorted and hand-crafted. Half of the fruit selected for this wine was tipped directly into a small open fermenter with the whole clusters remaining intact. Gradually the fermentation process began and continued without intervention for a period of two weeks. On the fourteenth day, the winery team stomped the grapes by foot (pigeage) and then pressed to stainless steel tank. The resulting wine was allowed to settle briefly before being racked to tight grain, lightly toasted French Puncheon. After natural malolactic fermentation and 17 months maturation the barrel was racked to tank and bottle without fining or filtration. The Cri de Coeur Pinot Noir has been aged in bottle for a further 12 months prior to release.
Tasting Notes:
There is a real tightrope walked by outstanding Pinots Noir from the Mornington, like this one. Here you find a tension between just-ripe red fruits, strawberries, cherries and white chocolate raspberries, amidst undergrowth, crayon and decaying rose petals. Hard to go with anything other than proper, classic Pinot Noir descriptors here, and the palate is truly brimming with verve. Great freshness, a little tartness and some welcome chew. Wonderful new world Pinot that does the old world thing.
2018 Savagnin
Winemaking:
Defying convention and inspired by the great Vin Jaune wines of the Jura region in France, this wine was whole bunched pressed to old French barriques before natural fermentation and malolactic conversion. Following fermentation, the barrels were moved to a well ventilated shed (away from the winery proper) where conditions were perfect for the gradual growth of the flor yeast on the surface of the increasingly ullaged barrels. Amazingly this wine was not topped for its entire four year ageing period, relying on the protective properties of the yeast voile to avoid excessive oxidation. Bottling took place in May 2020 without any filtration, fining, stabilization or the significant addition of SO2.
Tasting Notes:
Probably the most significant Jura styled Savagnin produced in Australia, this is the 2017 release of Cri de Coeur Savagnin ‘Sous Voile’ (under flor) and has all the hallmarks of this delicious style. The full spectrum of fresh and roast nuts set in salty caramel is on display here, backed by some lovely fruits of quince, green apricot and persimmon. An alluring aromatic profile - this year it almost has a grapey nuance - but the palate is all business. Shot through with mineral drive, it’s refreshing but extremely long and accompanied by the familiar character of toasted nuts and cultured butter on good sourdough.
The wine to wrestle Jura out of your glass. The experiment that went oh so very right. Savagnin given its due diligence and made righteously. Again, the flor, the patience, the ullage in barrel, the anticipated release. About three years under flor, two years in bottle before release – well done there.
“It’s so complex, rich, round and potent. A constellation of perfume and flavour all led by ripe apple, fino sherry characters, honeycomb, mustard powder, preserved lemon and ginger – the palate delivering more generosity and honeyed characters than the more precise, sea spray and brine-led bouquet. Muscular, supple, succulent. A triumphant wine of incredible detail and deliciousness. Cellaring time will go very long too.” 95 pts. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
Macvin #4
Winemaking:
A blend of 2016 flor aged Savagnin and 2020 Savagnin juice. Fortified with neutral grape spirit to 17% alcohol. Filtered and bottled July 2020.
Tasting Notes:
The third Macvin produced by Crittenden, this uses 4+ year aged Savagnin topped with current vintage juice before being fortified to 17% ABV. A very attractive wine, this release is amped up with great freshness from the new vintage juice while retaining the lovely toasty, nutty aromas of the 2016 base. Golden delicious apple, honeysuckle and quince nestle into shortcrust and almond in a delicious package. Plenty of glycerol on the palate, a kick of booze but a really driving acidity and length.
Macvin traditionally is fresh grape must (juice) blended with marc made from grape skins from the same winery, distilled on site, so here a bit of a loose interpretation of that with four year old savagnin under flor blended with grape spirit and some fresh savagnin juice. Fine and dandy.
“Attractive orange colour in glass. A rich, sweet-ish styled wine with lift of cool spirit amongst preserved lemon, dried orange, clove, toasted almond and hazelnuts and some briny, sea spray elements too. It’s a good tilt at the macvin style, per se, rich and gently sweet, cut well with that spiritous element for freshness, a long trail of spice and honeyed nuts to finish. Decadent wine. Worthy.” 92 pts. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front