Port Phillip Estate, Mornington Peninsula

PORT PHILLIP ESTATE

Port Phillip Estate was established in 1987 on a property of sixty acres in Red Hill in the heart of the Mornington Peninsula. The maritime climate and southerly latitude of the Mornington Peninsula combined with the estate's deep red loam soils are considered ideal for cool climate viticulture.

Owned by the Gjergja family since 2000, all winemaking is overseen by the highly respected winemaker Sandro Mosele. The landmark building opened in November 2009 as the new home of Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate wines. Many of the design initiatives salute sustainability.

The rammed-earth exterior and wide eaves, particularly on the western side of the building, shield interior spaces from the afternoon sun. This avoids fluctuations in temperature that would otherwise need heating and cooling. 

The museum wine store and barrel room are five metres below ground level, forming a natural cellar with ideal humidity and temperature for wine storage. So again, there's no need for heating and cooling. Solar panels heat water and control temperature. Low energy LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lighting reduces energy usage by around 80 percent.

With almost half the property under vine, water needs are significant. An integrated water reclaiming plant converts black water to grade A water for irrigation and bathrooms. The bottling phase of winemaking is also water intensive, so innovative air-washing technology has been installed to clean the bottles. These initiatives are part of an ongoing philosophy of environmental responsibility at Port Phillip Estate.