Iconic Hunter Valley winery Mount Pleasant has re-opened its renovated and re-imagined cellar door and vineyard estate, which has a renewed focus on the legacy of Founder Maurice O’Shea.
As well as being reoriented to maximise views of the vineyard to the north, the new cellar door features an expanded tasting area, a private tasting room, a separate members’ lounge in the adjacent barn and a bottle shop.
After acquiring the winery and property in 2021 the Medich Family Office invested in not only the refurbished cellar door, but all other areas of the business from vineyards to the winery and also new branding.
Speaking about the new cellar door, Designer Rachel Luchetti said: “We have reimagined the historical Australian homestead in an authentic, contemporary way.
“Showcasing wine is at the heart of the endeavour, from the arresting display in the wine store through to the cellar door where an impressive overscale blackbutt and zinc counter is a staging area for the winemaker to share his craft. The experience is pure, stripped back and focused.”
The new wine tasting experience will include food and wine pairings curated by Chief Winemaker, Adrian Sparks, and new Head Chef Kyle Whitbourne in collaboration with renowned chef Justin North from Concept Hospitality.
The Mediterranean-inspired dishes focus on locally-sourced produce to offer a collection of smaller dishes, designed to share and to be the perfect accompaniment to the wines.
Mount Pleasant has elevated its wine tasting experience to showcase its four historic vineyard sites and their corresponding wine. Visitors can choose from one of five themed tastings, including the Mount Pleasant Experience, which celebrates the history, evolution and diversity of Mount Pleasant’s unique vineyard sites; the Maurice O’Shea Flight, highlighting four of the best vintages of Mount Pleasant’s flagship Shiraz; and the Lovedale Semillon Flight, showcasing the fruit from one of the greatest Semillon vineyards in the world and the ageing transformation of bottled wine.
Chief winemaker Adrian Sparks, one of only five winemakers in Mount Pleasant’s history, said: “Maurice O’Shea and Phil Ryan were winemakers who changed the dynamic of the Hunter Valley. To be given an opportunity to follow in their footsteps, to walk those same vineyards, and to have a hand in designing new wine experiences and debut exciting ventures like the cellar door is thrilling.”
Mount Pleasant will host a launch event for the new cellar door on Saturday July 30 from 12-4pm. Open to the public, tickets cost $300 and will include canapes on arrival, a four-course menu with paired wines, live entertainment, and a winery tour.
