THE Mornington Peninsula’s winemaking community has brought the nation’s Pinot Noir producers together, and given locals plenty to celebrate, with the successful staging of the ninth Australian Pinot Noir Challenge.
An initiative of the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association (MPVA), this year’s Challenge attracted 319 entries from 20 regions across Australia, showcasing the depth and diversity of one of the country’s most celebrated wine varieties.
Among that national field, 2025 Merli Pinot Noir, made by Jonathan and David Merli, claimed the Mornington Peninsula Regional Trophy. Peninsula producers collected five gold, 12 silver and 31 bronze medals, a strong endorsement of the quality being grown and made close to home.
Behind the results is a community effort. Judging took place in Flinders in late September, with a volunteer judging team led by Yabby Lake’s Tom Carson, Chair of Judges, supported by stewards from wineries across the peninsula. Their time, expertise and careful work make the national competition possible. This is in addition to the very small MPVA team who make all happen.
Lindsay McCall, Chair of Shows, Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association said:
“To bring together 319 wines from 20 regions is something our association can be enormously proud of. The quality of the entries and the continued interest from producers show how much this competition matters to Australian Pinot Noir.
“It is also a wonderful reflection of our own community. Our judges and winery stewards generously give their time to make it happen, and seeing Merli take the regional trophy alongside such a strong medal result for the peninsula gives us another reason to celebrate.”
While Tasmania’s 2025 Decades Pinot Noir took the national trophy, the peninsula’s results offer an invitation to explore the wines on our doorstep.
Known as the “heartbreak grape”, Pinot Noir demands patience and meticulous care. Its thin skins and sensitivity to growing conditions make it a challenging variety, but one capable of expressing the subtle differences between vineyard sites.
That dedication is part of a productive local industry with reach far beyond the region. Wine Australia recorded 1,346 tonnes of Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir grapes crushed in 2025. From vineyard work to the finished bottle, local growers and winemakers turn primary production into wines enjoyed here and overseas.
With more than 50 cellar doors across the peninsula, residents, occasional and regular visitors can discover that work firsthand: taste a local Pinot Noir, meet the people behind it and find a new favourite. This year’s Challenge offers plenty of reasons to start.
First published in the Mornington News – 20 October 2026
