It is interesting to note that Martin’s cousin, Mariano Vignoni is the consultant winemaker for A Corazón Abierto Wines and worked alongside global winemaking icon Alberto Antonini. It was Mariano who introduced Martin to many of the great wines of Champagne in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in Perdriel, in Luján de Cuyo, and Mendoza in Argentina.

Martin studied oenology at the University of Mendoza with fellow student Sebastian Zuccardi, who, today, is the terroir-focus winemaker leading the Zuccardi dynasty. They were childhood friends. Martin recalls spending afternoons playing handball together. Martin seemed destined to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers, Fioravante and Roberto, embarking in February 2007 upon a wine journey that would bring him to Australia, just in time for harvest.

Martin’s first job was at the Bleasdale winery (which needs no introduction at Langton’s) in Langhorne Creek where he stayed on to work multiple vintages followed by a short stint at the Bird in Hand winery in the Adelaide Hills. 

‘...the impacts of elevated temperature and late pruning for Barossa Shiraz which formed the basis of his PhD project.’ 

It was his appointment as Senior Research Officer for the Climate Application Group at the South Australian Research and Development Institute that provided Martin with an opportunity to build an intimate understanding of some of SA’s best-known wine regions and vineyards. Martin conducted many viticultural research projects such as the impacts of elevated temperature and late pruning for Barossa Shiraz which formed the basis of his PhD project.

Martin shared the prestigious honour of being awarded the co-author of the best viticultural paper published in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research.

In 2010, Martin's wine journey took a slightly different turn as he produced his own wine—sparkling wine made from 100% Lenswood Chardonnay (of Shaw and Smith fame).

With the help of his partner (and soon to be his wife), Martin crafted a small volume (1000 bottles) of bottle-fermented late disgorged sparkling wine made using the same traditional methods as used by the great houses of Champagne.

For the next three vintages, Martin and Michelle worked on establishing Mordrelle wines which they operate out of the tin shed winery dug into the hillside of the family property on the outskirts of the sleepy Adelaide Hills village of Mylor.

After more than a decade since their first vintage, Mordrelle continues to age a portion of their sparkling wines for up to 10 years on fine lees before disgorgement. Martin uses the old traditional method of disgorgement known as ‘disgorgement à la volée’ meaning to disgorge ‘with nerve’. This is a difficult and laborious process that requires great skill and experience because the wines are at a warmer temperature (no freezing the bottleneck) and the potential for loss of wine and CO2 is far greater.

The focus of the winery is pure expressions of Chardonnay and Malbec. All the wines are made with firm structures that keep the fruit tightly wound. The wines require an extended period of ageing prior to release, their current release Chardonnay is from the 2017 vintage and the Blanc de Blanc is from the 2016 vintage.

2016 Mordrelle Blanc de Blanc, Adelaide Hills, South Australia

Hand-picked, 100% Chardonnay from Lenswood, The wine is painstakingly made in the traditional method of Champagne. Aged on lees for up to five years before being disgorged using the ancient method of ‘disgorgement à la volée’ - with nerve! The wine is super rich and complex (Aussie Krug, anyone?). Roasted pine nuts, toasty citrus and brioche with a very fine bead of bubbles.

‘Mordrelle cleaned up at the Adelaide Hills Wine Show winning two trophies: ‘Best Sparkling Wine’ and ‘Best Single Vineyard Wine’, proving what we already knew, that Mordrelle is making some profound wines at affordable prices.’ - Jeremy Prideaux.

Winner of Best Sparkling and Best Single Vineyard Wine 2021 Adelaide Hills Wine Show. Martin Moran’s Mordrelle wines are just beautiful outside and in.