Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Mayfield Vineyards Tasting

 Orange with its high altitude is becoming a source of high quality wine. Today, I will introduce Mayfield Vineyards to you.


Mayfield Vineyards has been many things to (a few) people, but with the acquisition by the Eastham Family in 2021, there is now a focus on Chardonnay. I taste their three Chardonnays from 2022.

The 2022 'Eighteen Fifteen' Chardonnay undergoes 75% malolactic fermentation, and is matured in 25% new French oak. It is quite a lean and focussed wine with citrus and peach flavours and some flint, in the modern Australian style. It has a good line and fine acidity (90/+ points).

The 2022 'Thomas' Chardonnay has only 50% malo, also with 25% new oak of 500 and 300l barrels. The oak integration is more seamless than in the previous wine, and the outcome is a more elegant and creamy palate (92/++ points).

The 2022 'Block 14' Chardonnay, the showcase of the winery, is a little different. This is a more acidic wine, with pronounced minerality, and clearly made to age well. Lemon, grapefruit and stone fruit flavours deliver a complex palate (93/++ points).

I enjoyed these wines, but the pricing is ambitious.


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