2016 Mount Mary Quintet Museum Release – Three 97-Point Scores

THREE 97-POINT SCORES! ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST RED WINES – NOW RELEASED WITH TEN YEARS OF MATURITY!

97 Points – The Wine Front | 97 Points – Halliday Wine Companion | 97 Points – The Real Review | 96 Points – JamesSuckling.com

2016 Mount Mary Quintet Museum Release – Yarra Valley, Victoria

RRP $300 per bottle

Some Australian wines have achieved legendary status. Mount Mary Quintet is unquestionably one of them.

And the opportunity to secure a beautifully mature bottle from the outstanding 2016 vintage is something serious wine enthusiasts should pay attention to.

THREE 97-POINT SCORES!

ANOTHER 96 POINTS!

TEN YEARS OF BOTTLE AGE!

This is not simply another premium Australian Cabernet blend.

This is one of the wines that helped establish the Yarra Valley's reputation for producing reds of extraordinary elegance, refinement and longevity.

A magnificent five-variety Bordeaux blend from one of Australia's most revered vineyards.

Beautifully perfumed.

Wonderfully complex.

Silky yet structured.

And capable of developing for decades.

At $300 per bottle, the 2016 Mount Mary Quintet Museum Release offers the opportunity to experience a great Australian wine entering a particularly fascinating stage of maturity.

Mount Mary – One of Australia's Most Legendary Vineyards

The Mount Mary story began in 1971 when Dr John and Marli Middleton purchased their property in the Yarra Valley.

Inspired by the great wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, John Middleton set out to produce wines of elegance, finesse and remarkable ageing potential.

At a time when powerful, heavily extracted Australian reds were increasingly fashionable, Mount Mary followed a very different philosophy.

Balance over sheer power.

Elegance over excessive concentration.

And vineyard character above everything else.

The original vineyard was planted in 1972.

Over the following decades, Mount Mary established an extraordinary reputation for producing some of Australia's most distinctive and collectible wines.

Today, the Middleton family's legacy continues through the next generations, including winemaker Sam Middleton.

And Quintet remains the estate's most celebrated red wine.

A wine that has become a benchmark for Australian Cabernet blends.

Quintet – Australia's Great Bordeaux-Inspired Red

The name Quintet refers to the five classic Bordeaux grape varieties.

Cabernet Sauvignon.

Merlot.

Cabernet Franc.

Malbec.

Petit Verdot.

Each contributes something distinctive.

Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure, blackcurrant fruit and remarkable ageing potential.

Merlot contributes generosity, texture and beautiful mid-palate richness.

Cabernet Franc brings aromatic lift, floral complexity and savoury elegance.

Malbec adds depth, colour and dark-fruit concentration.

Petit Verdot contributes spice, perfume and additional structure.

Together, these five varieties create a wine of extraordinary complexity.

The elegance of great Bordeaux, expressed through one of the Yarra Valley's most remarkable vineyards.

The 2016 Vintage – An Outstanding Year for Mount Mary

The 2016 vintage produced beautifully ripe, concentrated fruit at Mount Mary.

The estate described remarkable consistency across all five Quintet varieties.

This allowed the winemaking team to create a wine with exceptional balance between red and dark fruits, structure and aromatic complexity.

There is richness.

But never excessive heaviness.

Concentration.

But also extraordinary finesse.

And a tannin structure designed to support decades of ageing.

The resulting wine combines the generous fruit character of the vintage with Mount Mary's unmistakable elegance.

It is one of those remarkable Australian reds that manages to be powerful and beautifully restrained at the same time.

Five Bordeaux Varieties – Extraordinary Complexity

The estate's published blend for the 2016 Quintet comprises:

46% Cabernet Sauvignon

26% Merlot

20% Cabernet Franc

5% Malbec

3% Petit Verdot

This is a particularly fascinating composition.

The Cabernet Sauvignon provides the structural foundation.

The generous proportion of Merlot contributes texture and depth.

And the significant Cabernet Franc component delivers beautiful aromatic complexity.

The smaller additions of Malbec and Petit Verdot provide further layers of flavour and structure.

The result is an exceptionally complete, beautifully balanced Bordeaux-style blend.

Traditional Winemaking – Elegance Above Everything

The five varieties are fermented separately, allowing each component to develop its individual character.

Fermentation takes place on skins for approximately 12–14 days.

The wine then undergoes extended maturation in French oak.

For the 2016 vintage, Mount Mary used a combination of large-format oak vessels, new French oak barriques and seasoned barrels.

This approach is particularly important.

The larger vessels allow the wine to develop without excessive oak influence.

The new barrels contribute subtle cedar and spice.

And the older barrels preserve the purity of the fruit.

The result is a wine of beautiful integration.

Oak that supports the fruit rather than overwhelming it.

Ten Years of Maturity – The Beauty of a Museum Release

This is where the 2016 Quintet becomes particularly exciting.

At ten years of age, the wine has reached a fascinating stage in its development.

The youthful blackcurrant, cherry and plum fruit remains beautifully expressive.

But additional complexity is beginning to emerge.

Cedar.

Tobacco.

Dried herbs.

Earth.

And delicate savoury spice.

The tannins are becoming more integrated.

The palate is developing greater harmony.

And the wine is beginning to reveal the remarkable complexity that makes mature Mount Mary so special.

This is the extraordinary appeal of a museum release – the opportunity to enjoy a great wine after years of patient maturation.

Blackcurrant, Violets, Cedar and Extraordinary Finesse

The aromatic complexity of the 2016 Quintet is magnificent.

Think ripe blackcurrants.

Dark cherries.

Red plums.

Fresh violets.

Cedar.

Tobacco.

And delicate spice.

There are also subtle notes of pencil shavings, liquorice and savoury herbs.

The palate is beautifully structured.

Medium-bodied in the classic Mount Mary tradition.

But with remarkable intensity and depth.

The fruit is wonderfully pure.

The tannins are fine and persistent.

And the finish is exceptionally long.

This is a wine that delivers extraordinary flavour without relying on excessive weight or alcohol.

A magnificent demonstration of the elegance and sophistication that great Australian Cabernet can achieve.

97 Points – The Wine Front

A magnificent 97-point endorsement of one of Mount Mary's great vintages.

97 Points – Halliday Wine Companion

Another outstanding 97-point score for this remarkable Australian Cabernet blend.

97 Points – The Real Review

An extraordinary endorsement of just how beautifully the 2016 Quintet is developing after ten years.

96 Points – James Suckling

Four outstanding critical assessments of one of Australia's greatest wines.

A Magnificent Wine for the Dinner Table

Mount Mary Quintet is a wine that absolutely deserves exceptional food.

Its elegant structure and beautiful savoury complexity make it particularly versatile.

Think roast lamb.

Beef tenderloin.

Duck breast.

Venison.

And slow-cooked beef cheeks.

It would also be magnificent with mushroom dishes, aged hard cheeses and beautifully prepared roast meats.

For something particularly memorable, serve it with a perfectly cooked rack of lamb and rosemary.

The wine's Cabernet structure complements the richness of the meat, while its mature savoury complexity brings extraordinary harmony to the pairing.

This is exactly the sort of wine that transforms a beautiful meal into something unforgettable.

Extraordinary Cellaring Potential

One of the defining characteristics of Mount Mary Quintet is its remarkable longevity.

The wine's natural acidity, beautifully structured tannins and balanced fruit provide the foundation for extended maturation.

And the 2016 vintage is no exception.

Gary Walsh's original drinking window extended beyond 2038.

Halliday Wine Companion suggested drinking through 2041.

And Huon Hooke's March 2026 review also recommends drinking from 2026 to 2041.

This is a wine that is drinking beautifully now but still possesses the structure to develop for many more years.

For collectors, that is a particularly exciting combination.

You can enjoy a bottle today.

And retain others to experience the wine's evolution over the coming decade and beyond.

Why We Love This Wine at Liquid Vibe

At Liquid Vibe, we have an enormous appreciation for Australia's greatest wines.

And Mount Mary Quintet is unquestionably one of them.

First, there is the history.

Mount Mary – established in 1971 by John and Marli Middleton.

Then there is the vineyard.

One of the Yarra Valley's most revered sites.

Then there is the blend.

Five classic Bordeaux grape varieties, brought together with extraordinary precision.

Then there is the vintage.

2016 – a magnificent year for Mount Mary's Quintet.

Then there is the maturity.

Ten years of bottle age.

And finally, there are the critics.

97 POINTS THE WINE FRONT!

97 POINTS HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION!

97 POINTS THE REAL REVIEW!

96 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING!

At $300 per bottle, this is a serious Australian wine.

But it is also one of the country's most celebrated Cabernet blends, from a remarkable vintage, now entering a beautiful stage of maturity.

For anyone who loves great Bordeaux, exceptional Australian Cabernet or beautifully mature fine wine, the 2016 Mount Mary Quintet Museum Release is an opportunity that deserves serious attention.

THREE 97-POINT SCORES. ONE 96-POINT SCORE. TEN YEARS OF MATURITY. ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST RED WINES.

2016 Mount Mary Quintet Museum Release – an extraordinary wine we are delighted to recommend at Liquid Vibe.

Wine Details

• Producer: Mount Mary

• Wine: Quintet Museum Release

• Vintage: 2016

• Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria

• Country: Australia

• Style: Bordeaux-inspired Cabernet blend

• Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot

• Producer-Reported Blend: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot

• Fermentation: Varieties vinified separately

• Maturation: Approximately 22 months in French oak, including large-format and seasoned barrels

• Alcohol: Approximately 13.2%

• Closure: Cork

• Critic Scores: 97 The Wine Front | 97 Halliday Wine Companion | 97 The Real Review | 96 JamesSuckling.com

• RRP: $300 per bottle

• Food Pairing: Roast lamb, beef tenderloin, duck, venison, mushrooms and aged cheese

• Serving Temperature: Approximately 16–18°C

• Cellaring: Drinking beautifully now, with excellent potential through 2041 and potentially beyond