Elanto Vineyard

Elanto is one of the most ambitious new vineyard projects Australia has seen in years. Planted in 2019 on a dramatic slope in Balnarring, Mornington Peninsula, it is the vision of Sandro Mosele – one of the region’s most respected names, best known for his groundbreaking work at Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate.

The project is defined by detail and scale. The vineyard is planted to ultra-high density – 11,111 vines per hectare – a model familiar in Burgundy but virtually unheard of in Australia. Vines are spaced at just 0.75 metres apart, forcing roots to compete, dig deep and draw character from the ironstone and basalt soils beneath. Yields are tiny, but the concentration and expression in the fruit are extraordinary.

Organic farming underpins everything. No herbicides, no shortcuts – just meticulous hand work and regenerative practices aimed at building resilience in the vineyard. Fermentation is wild, oak is used sparingly, and the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

 “Everything we do in the winery is about not losing the quality that comes in from the vineyard.”
- Sandro Mosele

The results have been immediate. With only their first releases, Elanto has been named 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Best New Winery, with critic Jane Faulkner calling the project a “future icon in the making.” Both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have already scored in the mid-90s, drinking far beyond what vines this young should be capable of.

The wines are precise, savoury, finely structured and deeply mineral – closer in feel to fine Burgundy than the plush, fruit-driven style often associated with young Australian vines.

It is rare to see a new vineyard arrive with such intent and credibility. Elanto is already one of the most exciting names in Australian wine, and it has only just begun.

"It’s hard to comprehend the magnitude of such a project, and the accompanying financial obligations, until you taste the wines. It’s in the glass where it all makes sense. Both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are drinking well beyond their six-year-old vines suggest they should. This is a new name to get very excited about."
- Katrina Butler (2026 Halliday Wine Awards)