Curly Flat

Curly Flat was founded in 1991 by Phillip and Jeni Moraghan, who had identified the high-elevation Macedon Ranges site at Lancefield as the ideal location for a Burgundian-aspirational cool-climate estate. Phillip Moraghan had a background outside winemaking but brought a rigorous analytical approach to the project, studying Burgundy intensively and travelling there repeatedly to learn the methods. Jeni Moraghan led the broader estate operations alongside Phillip. The first Curly Flat vines were planted in 1992, with subsequent plantings extending the vineyard over the following decade. The estate name reflects the local toponym for the gently undulating Lancefield landscape. The first commercial vintage was released in the mid-1990s, and Curly Flat rapidly attracted critical acclaim for its rigorously Burgundian sensibility, high vine density, and minimal-intervention winemaking. The estate has remained continuously under Moraghan family direction since founding, with Phillip Moraghan serving as the public face and primary winemaking voice for the first two decades. Current winemaker Jason Peasley took over the cellar duties in subsequent years, continuing the founding Burgundian approach. The Moraghan family continues to own the estate, and Curly Flat operates as a tightly held boutique family operation with no outside investors and minimal commercial expansion beyond core distribution.

• 1991: Phillip and Jeni Moraghan founded Curly Flat at Lancefield in the Macedon Ranges; first vines planted 1992
• Phillip Moraghan studied Burgundy intensively and travelled there repeatedly; brought a rigorous analytical approach to the project
• First commercial vintage released mid-1990s; rapidly attracted critical acclaim for rigorously Burgundian sensibility and high vine density
• Jason Peasley current winemaker; continues founding Burgundian approach; estate continuously under Moraghan family direction since 1991

Curly Flat's estate vineyard sits at 520 metres elevation at Lancefield in the Macedon Ranges, approximately 60 kilometres north of Melbourne. The site is among the higher elevation commercial vineyard locations on the Australian mainland, and the combination of high elevation, cold winds funnelling through the Great Dividing Range, and iron-rich red volcanic soils produces an exceptionally cool, slow growing season that delivers small, intensely flavoured berries with high natural acidity. The red volcanic soils at Lancefield are derived from the ancient Newer Volcanics Province that shaped much of the Macedon Ranges and parts of western Victoria; the iron-rich profile and friable structure provide excellent drainage and modest fertility, which the Moraghans considered ideal for the Burgundian model they were building. Daytime ripening temperatures are warm and sunny; nighttime cooling is dramatic, with diurnal swings of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius routine through ripening. Like neighbouring Bindi, Curly Flat is one of Australia's last estates to harvest each vintage, with picking frequently extending well into May. The vineyard is densely planted in Burgundian fashion, with vine density significantly higher than the Australian norm; this density encourages competition between vines, smaller individual yields per vine, and greater concentration in the fruit.

• 520 metres elevation at Lancefield in the Macedon Ranges; among the higher elevation commercial mainland vineyard sites in Australia
• Iron-rich red volcanic soils derived from the ancient Newer Volcanics Province; excellent drainage and modest fertility
• Diurnal temperature swings of 15-20 degrees Celsius routine through ripening; one of Australia's last estates to harvest each vintage (often into May)
• Densely planted in Burgundian fashion; vine density significantly higher than the Australian norm; encourages vine competition and fruit concentration

Curly Flat's varietal focus has remained tightly disciplined since founding: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, with no expansion into other varieties despite the experimental Macedon Ranges norm. This three-variety focus reflects the Moraghans' Burgundian model and their conviction that the estate's terroir is best expressed through these three closely related Burgundian varieties. The vineyard is densely planted in Burgundian fashion, with vine density significantly higher than the Australian norm of 2,000 to 3,000 vines per hectare; Curly Flat plantings sit closer to 5,000 to 6,000 vines per hectare, much closer to the typical Burgundian density. This high-density planting encourages vine competition for soil nutrients and water, naturally limits yields per vine, and concentrates flavour and structural elements in the smaller berries. Combined with the cool elevated site, the high vine density delivers small, intensely flavoured Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris fruit with notably high natural acidity. The estate practises sustainable viticulture across all blocks, with progressive movement toward biodynamic principles, although Curly Flat has not pursued formal biodynamic certification. Hand-picking and small-batch fruit selection at harvest are universal across the estate.

• Three-variety focus: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris; no expansion into other varieties; tight curation rather than broad portfolio
• High vine density: 5,000-6,000 vines per hectare; significantly higher than Australian norm (2,000-3,000 per hectare) and much closer to typical Burgundian density
• High density encourages vine competition, naturally limits yields per vine, and concentrates flavour and structural elements in smaller berries
• Sustainable viticulture with progressive movement toward biodynamic principles; hand-picking and small-batch fruit selection universal

Curly Flat's winemaking philosophy is rigorously Burgundian and minimal-intervention, established by Phillip Moraghan from founding and continued by current winemaker Jason Peasley. For Pinot Noir, the estate works with variable whole-bunch fermentation, typically operating in a moderate range of 30 to 60 percent whole bunches depending on vintage and parcel. Fermentations use indigenous yeast in small open vats, with gentle hand plunging and minimal extraction. Pinot Noirs age in French oak with deliberately moderate new oak proportion (typically below 30 percent), allowing the elevated volcanic site expression to dominate over oak influence. For Chardonnay, Curly Flat works in the classic Burgundian reductive tradition: whole-bunch pressing, indigenous yeast fermentation in barrel, extended lees ageing with minimal battonage, and moderate new oak. The reductive Chardonnays show electric acidity, citrus zest, white stone fruit, and tightly wound mineral tension. For Pinot Gris, the estate produces both crisp dry Grigio styles and richer textural Gris expressions depending on vintage and parcel intent. New oak proportions across all three varieties are moderate, and the house style emphasises site-specificity, structural elegance, perfumed aromatics, and ageing capacity. The estate's continuity of approach between Phillip Moraghan's founding work and Jason Peasley's ongoing winemaking has been central to Curly Flat's stylistic consistency over three decades.

• Variable whole-bunch fermentation for Pinot Noir: typically 30-60 percent depending on vintage and parcel; indigenous yeast in small open vats
• Pinot Noirs age in French oak with moderate new oak proportion (typically below 30 percent); volcanic site expression dominates over oak
• Reductive Burgundian Chardonnay: whole-bunch pressing, indigenous yeast fermentation in barrel, extended lees ageing with minimal battonage
• Pinot Gris in both crisp dry Grigio and richer textural Gris styles depending on vintage; moderate new oak across all three varieties

Curly Flat's portfolio is small, focused, and intensely site-driven. The core flagship releases are Curly Flat Pinot Noir, Curly Flat Chardonnay, and Curly Flat Pinot Gris, each sourced across the estate's Lancefield vineyards and each released annually as the foundational expression of the Macedon Ranges house style. Curly Flat Pinot Noir shows perfumed red cherry, raspberry, and dried herb aromatics, with fine-grained tannins, taut acidity, and a savoury mineral mid-palate; the wine routinely appears on Australian best-of lists as a benchmark Macedon Ranges Pinot Noir. Curly Flat Chardonnay shows electric acidity, citrus zest, white stone fruit, and tightly wound mineral tension with restrained new oak; the wine has been recognised as one of Australia's most reliably acclaimed cool-climate Chardonnays across multiple vintages. Curly Flat Pinot Gris, depending on vintage and the winemaker's intent, presents in either crisp dry Grigio style or richer textural Gris style with stone fruit and subtle phenolic grip. The Curly Pinot Noir is the rare reserve-tier release, produced only in vintages where the fruit justifies it and sourced from the most distinguished single-block parcels; The Curly typically attracts higher critical scores than the flagship and is allocated almost entirely through the mailing list. The Curly is produced in such small volumes that some vintages skip the release entirely. The estate's mailing-list driven distribution model and the Moraghan family's focus on quality over commercial scale have kept Curly Flat firmly in the cult tier of Australian cool-climate winemaking.

• Curly Flat Pinot Noir: perfumed red cherry, fine-grained tannins, taut acidity, savoury mineral mid-palate; benchmark Macedon Ranges Pinot
• Curly Flat Chardonnay: electric acidity, citrus zest, mineral tension, restrained new oak; among Australia's most reliably acclaimed cool-climate Chardonnays
• Curly Flat Pinot Gris: presents in either crisp Grigio or richer textural Gris style depending on vintage and winemaker intent
• The Curly Pinot Noir: rare reserve-tier release from most distinguished single-block parcels; produced only in vintages where fruit justifies it; some vintages skipped