Mike Aylward
STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
Every bottle of wine that Mike Aylward crafts must do two things: pair elegantly with food and represent the unique conditions of the beautiful Mornington Peninsula wine region.
Tucked into the south-east corner of Australia, Mornington Peninsula is known for its refined wines and scenic vineyards. Under the careful guidance of Mike and his wife Hollie, grapes at boutique winery Ocean Eight are hand-picked and wines crafted in small batches using minimal-intervention techniques to create something extraordinary.
Elegant wines by the sea
Mike is a golfing fanatic who “got the bug” for winemaking and the Mornington Peninsula after high school, when his parents bought a cattle farm in the region and started making wine under the renowned Kooyong label. The family established Ocean Eight in 2004, named after the eighth hole of their favourite golf course atop coastal cliffs.
“There’s so much to do on the Peninsula,” he says. “You have the golf courses, you’ve got the beaches, there’s some amazing restaurants here now. And then of course, the wineries. They’re making some very, very good-quality wine. So that’s really exciting.”
Winner of the 2011 Young Gun of Wine award, Mike focuses on what Mornington Peninsula does best: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. He also produces standout sparkling wines, which he learnt to make on a trip to Europe more than a decade ago. There he had lunch with Remi Krug, the son of the founders of the Krug Champagne house.
“He talked me through the process of making traditional method sparkling wine, and I loved the process, so I really wanted to try that back here on the Peninsula,” says Mike. His early experiments proved successful. “The first time I got bubbles, it was one of the best days of my life,” he says.
Today Mike handcrafts premium sparkling wines, ageing them for eight to 10 years to develop a yeasty, brioche flavour and create fine, delicate bubbles. “It’s a labour of love, but it’s a real hobby too,” he says.
Whether it’s a delicate sparkling or a complex Pinot Noir, Mike’s wines are defined by their elegance. “Whenever I'm choosing a style of wine to make, I always think about how that wine's going to pair with food,” he says. “I want to see Ocean Eight in some of the best restaurants around the world.”
“Whenever I'm choosing a style of wine to make, I always think about how that wine's going to pair with food. I want to see Ocean Eight in some of the best restaurants around the world.”
Disclaimer
This information is presented in good faith and on the basis that Wine Australia, nor their agents or employees, are liable (whether by reason of error, omission, negligence, lack of care or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking (as the case may be) action in respect of any statement, information or advice given via this channel.
