UNDERGROUND WINEMAKERS
Underground Winemakers is an independent Victorian producer based in Mount Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula, founded by experienced wine and vineyard professionals Peter Stebbing, Adrian Hennessy and Jonathon Stevens. The project emerged from decades of collective experience in Australian and European vineyards and cellars, with the founders having worked across the Mornington Peninsula as well as Alsace, Burgundy and Northern Italy.
The origins of Underground Winemakers are deliberately modest. The team leased a small, previously closed winery in Mount Eliza containing some of the oldest plantings of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay on the Mornington Peninsula. With limited resources, second-hand equipment and a small press and crusher, they built the operation around hands-on winemaking rather than elaborate infrastructure.
From the beginning, their philosophy has been straightforward: source the right grapes and produce quality, approachable wines that remain true to variety and style. Rather than pursuing an overly polished or technical house character, Underground focuses on expressive fruit, drinkability and value while retaining control over the production process from grapes through to bottling.
The Mornington Peninsula provides the foundation for many of the most important Underground wines. Its cool maritime climate is particularly suited to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, allowing these varieties to ripen gradually while retaining freshness and aromatic definition. Underground's Pinot Noir has become one of the producer's most recognised wines and remains a central part of its portfolio.
Pinot Noir is particularly well suited to the Underground philosophy. Fruit sourced from Mornington Peninsula vineyards produces wines with generous varietal character while retaining the region's cool-climate freshness. Depending on the wine and vintage, expressions can show black cherry, plum, red berries and forest-floor complexity, supported by fine tannins and a supple texture.
The range, however, extends considerably beyond the Peninsula's classic varieties. Underground sources grapes from Northern and Central Victoria for wines including Durif, Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot and Moscato. This regional flexibility allows the team to match grape varieties with suitable Victorian growing regions rather than restricting the entire portfolio to a single geographical area.
Underground also produces sparkling wine, including fruit sourced from mature Mornington Peninsula vineyards. These wines follow the same philosophy as the still range: accessible, varietally expressive and designed primarily for drinking rather than prestige or formality.
An important part of the Underground identity is its rejection of unnecessary exclusivity around wine. The founders have described their approach as combining experimentation and risk-taking with close attention to every stage of production, while encouraging consumers to enjoy wine without excessive rules or pretension.
Everything is made and bottled at the Mount Eliza winery, giving the team direct control over production while helping keep costs relatively lean. This practical approach has allowed Underground Winemakers to build a reputation for wines that frequently deliver considerable quality relative to their price.
For drinkers exploring Victorian wine, Underground Winemakers offers an appealing alternative to more conventional Mornington Peninsula producers. The combination of experienced winemakers, mature Peninsula vineyards, hands-on production and a deliberately approachable philosophy results in wines that place varietal character and drinking pleasure ahead of unnecessary complexity.
Shop Underground Winemakers wines online at Wine More Cellars Australia. Discover Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Victorian wines with Australia-wide shipping and free delivery on eligible orders over $199.
