Description

It was over 10 years ago I first tried Mayford Tempranillo. It was at an event called TempraNeo and was celebrating Tempranillo in Australia. Mayford Tempranillo, and a few others that day, opened my eyes to the potential in Australia; up to that point, I thought the wines were non-descript.

The 2022 release of Mayford Tempranillo lives up to my fond recollections. It shows plums, raisens, pepper and raw meat. It has a red-winey quality that Tempranillo can show and is alluring and beguiling the more you smell it. The palate of Mayford Tempranillo is typically plush, with fine tannins. It is

Mayford Tempranillo Alpine Valleys 2022 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 Tempranillo Alpine Valleys 2022 Wine Notes

Campbell Mattinson
The Wine Front
June 2024
95 points

“The framework here is substantial. So too the flesh. This is a wine of meat, bones, stuffing and gravy. It tastes of scorched black cherries, chicory, woodsmoke and cedar, though sweet spice and kirsch notes get guernseys too. The flavour here may be bold, and polished, but folded within it are arms of muscular tannin, and these guide the wine to somewhere grander. It’s a wave, this wine. It lifts and it carries. It’s a release of note.

Rated : 95 Points
Tasted : Jun24
Alcohol : 13.9%
Price : $44
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2026 – 2033+”

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.

Tempranillo

A top-quality red grape that grows all over the Iberian Peninsula (with many pseudonyms). It makes Rosado or Joven (released after 6 months) all the way up to Gran Reserva (60 months in the winery). Reserva and Gran Reserva are capable of aging for the long term (30 years easily). Top examples of aged Tempranillo compare favourably to Burgundy. Cherry and cola are typical flavour descriptors. It has moderate to low acid, moderate tannin and the naturally high pH allows for a silky mouthfeel that is not seen in other red wines.

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.