Description

Mayford Shiraz is right at the start of its drinking window. Showing some cool-climate dark fruits like plums and a touch of violets with secondary smoky/soot, and the spicy white pepper notes.

The palate of Mayford Shiraz is stemmy and plummy with a grape pulp texture. It is marvellous drinking and will continue to flesh out and evolve.

Mayford Shiraz Alpine Valleys 2019, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

High above the Ovens River, overlooking the sleepy township of Porepunkah, the family-owned Mayford Vineyard lies tucked away from view. The Mayford Vineyard was established with a modest planting of Shiraz in 1995, which was enlarged in 1998.  Tempranillo and Chardonnay followed in 2002. Hand-picking and small-batch winemaking are utilised to create complexity off the small vineyard. There is a preference to let the naturally occurring yeasts dictate the timing and expression of the fermentation process. The reds are worked in small open fermenters and basket pressed before going to oak, where natural malolactic fermentation is encouraged.  Fining and filtration are kept to a minimum.

Mayford Shiraz Alpine Valleys 2019 Wine Notes

Jeni Pory
Halliday Wine Companion 2024
Gold – 96 points

“A wine of pure class. Perfectly reflects the Alpine Valleys’ ability to compete when it comes to quality shiraz. Ready for the glass or a long run in the cellar, it arrives integrated and balanced with a budding complexity. Dark plum, black berries, a shopping list of spices including anise and just a touch of intriguing eucalyptus. The ground work for a big future is set against a nuanced display of smoky oak and fine tannins.“

Alpine Valleys

There is a lot spoken about the lovely King Valley. But the Alpine Valleys that surround offers some fantastic wines. Often at great value.

Shiraz/Syrah

A bit of a chameleon, Shiraz can change how it looks depending on the terroir and/or winemaker influence. The Syrah-based wines of Northern Rhone are dry and austere while the Shiraz of Barossa is opulent and fleshy. A variety that lends itself to long aging but can be drunk at any time of its evolution.

Australian Wine

The invasion of “Sunshine in a bottle” put Australian wine on the map.  The fruity, easy-going, somewhat samey wines were endearing for a short time. Then the next big thing knocked them off their perch.

This forced producers to increase quality and emphasise the distinctive terroirs of Australia. Of which, there are many. And many more yet to be discovered.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is special. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

Red Wine

Fun fact; most of the colour for wines comes from the skins. There are only a handful of grapes that have red juice. Alicante is the most well known of these grapes.

By macerating the juice on the skins, the wine gains tannins, and flavours. Certain compounds change the chemistry of the wine too.

Red wines tend to have higher alcohol. More tannin and more oak flavours compared to other styles of wine. But the thousands of grapes and terroirs they grow in influence this.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.