Mayford Wines – ★★★★★

Mayford Wines Ovens Crossing 2021 – Gold – Rating 96

An attention-grabbing blend highlighting all the strengths of two classic grapes: tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon. Ripe blue, red and black berries mesh beautifully with dried rosemary, earth, red licorice and vanillin oak. So smooth it glides across the tongue. Tannins are just so, spice is heady, the effect is stunningly memorable.
Jeni Port 

Mayford Wines Chardonnay 2023 – Gold – Rating 96

Multiple small batches, whole-bunch pressed, fermented and matured in French oak (25% new). A stunning chardonnay by any measure. Upfront and peachy, lemony bright with white flowers, it’s a quiet assassin with a rich undertow of complex fruit waiting to be fully explored with time. Well-composed stone fruits, grapefruit, lime zest, nougat and mealy notes, grilled nuts and spiced pears mesh seamlessly, irresistibly on the palate. Alpine Valleys acidity sizzles, adding a touch of brilliant brightness.
Jeni Port 

Mayford Wines  Tempranillo 2023 – Gold – Rating 96

A stellar tempranillo that offers a deeper insight into the grape with each vintage. Eleana Anderson has a wonderful, intuitive understanding of the Spanish grape, one that mixes a ripe expression with a light, savoury touch. In a cooler vintage such as ’23, they meet with a level of high refinement in rose florals, mustard seed, cherry, bramble, mountain herbs and dusty cacao. Subtle and elegant, it is carried by fine tannins and creamy oak spice to a long finish. Will age a treat.
Jeni Port 

Mayford Wines  Shiraz 2022 – Gold – Rating 96

Is it time to take Alpine Valleys shiraz seriously? It is! Year after year this maker releases a quality shiraz of all class. This vintage, it is from the Nicholson vineyard. A cool-climate-style spiciness inhabits the wine in combo with a medium-bodied, supple palate that is a ready palette of colours – black, red and blue fruits – and mixed woodsy spices, earth and peppery intrigue. Fragrant, elegant and supple in tannins, it goes long and impresses mightily.
Jeni Port

Mayford Wines  Rosewhite Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – Gold – Rating 96

Sourced from the Rosewhite vineyard, one of the oldest vineyards in the Alpine Valleys. Time to take Alpine Valleys cabernet seriously when it is this good. And it most definitely is! A striking wine from the first lifted aromas of violet, dark rose, oregano, wild mountain herbs and a lingering scent of intense black berries and dark cherries. Gorgeous aromatics are central to the wine but, so too, a complexity and fineness that is beautifully and naturally poised. Silky, long tannins seduce.
Jeni Port

Anderson & Marsh Parell Albarino 2024 – Gold – Rating 95

The Spanish grape takes a major leap forward in the hands of these two winemakers. Flavours are pitch-perfect, elevating the grape’s rich trove of citrus and marrying it to a light savouriness. Grapefruit pith, lemon, lime zest, baked apple and light florals with no shortage of fruit intensity are delivered with a savoury layer à la almond skin and preserved lemon. Comes across heady and aromatic, creamy and long, aided and abetted by saline fresh acidity. Fabulous.
Jeni Port

Halliday Wine Companion – 2025

Mayford Wines Ovens Crossing 2021 – Gold – Rating 95 ★★★★★

Ink black core into a deep ruby rim. Blackberry, black olive and graphite minerals on the nose. Rich and powerful on the palate, loaded with black fruits, anise, graphite and black olive tapenade notes. There’s a chorus of flavours that lifts in harmony along the back of finely grained, yet powerful tannins. Great length and precision to the drying end. Will be best suited to a serious roast of beef.

DRINK : 2024–2039

THE REAL REVIEW – 2024

Mayford Rosewhite Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – 94 points

This was grown on the Souter’s Vineyard, recently sold, which is/was in Rosewhite, in the beautifully named Happy Valley. It’s a stunning valley and a very good (and interesting) vineyard; it is home to the oldest cabernet vines in the Alpine Valleys region (planted in the 1980s I think).

There’s always been a fair hit of mint/eucalypt in the reds off this vineyard, and it’s here again, though I’d reckon that it’s been better managed here than I’ve seen it previous. Indeed here it’s a positive. Blackcurrant, choc-mint, a smattering of herbs, a graphite character. Cedarwood oak applies a light sauce; redcurrant notes add brightness and lift. It’s a truly lovely wine, elegant and well fruited, crafted expertly, cabernet to its back teeth. It will mature well.

Rated : 94 Points
Tasted : Jun24
Alcohol : 13.9%
Price : $45
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2026 – 2033+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front, June 2024

Mayford Tempranillo 2022 – 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+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front, June 2024

Mayford Ovens Crossing 2021 – 94 points

Essentially a blend of cabernet (sauvignon) and tempranillo though I believe that there’s some malbec included in this release.

If you’re into the cellaring of wine, and you enjoy traditional Australian red styles, then this wine is money in the bank. The tempranillo aspect may not be so traditional, granted, but the bold style of this wine, and the bold framework of tannin, and the polish, and indeed the freshness, all point to a red wine of power, purpose and poise. The fruit here is excellent. The oak, while fractionally assertive at present, ties it all together admirably. And the tannin has some real flex to it. Once the oak settles this will rate higher still.

Rated : 94+ Points
Tasted : Jun24
Alcohol : 13.9%
Price : $55
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2027 – 2035+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front, June 2024

Anderson & Marsh 2023 Parell Albarino – Gold – 95 points

Albariño gets the deluxe treatment and that’s a ‘Wow!’ Each vintage sees these two makers excel themselves with the Spanish grape, reaching down deeper into its character to extract layer upon layer of complexity. Preserved lemon, grapefruit pith, lime zest, apple, beeswax and peach – a rich tapestry of scents, flavours and textures – are set against an assertive acid backbone. That saline, mineral kicker of a finish is gold.

Jeni Port – Halliday Wine Companion 2024

Mayford Wines – ★★★★★

Mayford Wines Shiraz 2019 – Gold – Rating 96

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.

Mayford Wines Tempranillo 2021 – Gold – Rating 96

Wow! What a comeback! After losing her entire 2020 vintage to smoke taint, Eleana Anderson is back, big time. Tempranillo, always a Mayford highlight, shines in the fabulous ’21 vintage. Great vibrancy of colour in deep purple hues. Offers up a striking perfume of well-defined dark cherries, plum, earth, dried rosemary, dusty cocoa, red licorice. An effortless beauty unfolds across the palate. Medium bodied, supple, textural, too, and with so much life still to be explored. Give it time.

Mayford Wines  Chardonnay 2021 – Gold – Rating 95

With no wine made in 2020, the return of chardonnay to the Mayford fold brings the winemakers’s usual touch of class and precision. It’s a fine-featured chardonnay with acidity taking charge at this early stage, slowly revealing a delicacy of citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemon zest) with pear skin, a gentle spiciness and some nutty influences. Coming together beautifully and deliciously now, give it more time if you can and you will be rewarded.

Jeni Port – Halliday Wine Companion 2024

Anderson & Marsh 2022 Parell Albarino – Gold – 95 points

Fermentation in stainless steel (50%) and older puncheons on lees (50%). The major white grape of Spain is making itself right at home in the Alpine Valleys. Brings both energy and warmth to the glass with a touch of savouriness. Layers of grapefruit, lemon peel, apple, preserved lemon and beeswax build and build in the mouth. The mix of tart bite and mealy softness talks to the grape’s noted natural acidity. Tasted six months before release, but easily on track for a big future.

Anderson & Marsh 2017 Catani Blanc de Blancs – Silver – 94 points

Alpine Valley winemaker friends, Jo Marsh and Eleana Anderson, come together to make wines they like to drink. Catani, with extended time on lees, presents a complex and powerful sparkling take on Alpine Valleys chardonnay with baked apple, grilled pineapple, honeyed fig aromas and flavours and an overriding warm nuttiness. Smooth across the mid-palate with a lovely spiciness to close. Worth the wait.

Jeni Port – Halliday Wine Companion 2023

Anderson & Marsh 2021 Tempranillo – Gold – 96 points

Spain meets Alpine Valleys and it’s fireworks all around.  The result is an impressive wine combining both power and elegance.  Intense scents of wet earth, dark berries, alpine herbs and licorice spice with gentle savoury overtones.  Looks and smells dark and brooding.  But wait, the palate lifts, the aromatics rise and elegance and poise rule with tannins fine and nimble.  A top year brings tempranillo into its own in this part of the world.  Bravo!

Jeni Port – Halliday Wine Companion 2023

Mayford 2019 Shiraz – 95+ points

Some wines, from the first sip, just seem to say: I’ve got this. This is one of them. It has a brooding depth, lots of top notes and all the gaps filled in between. It tastes of black cherry and plum, blueberry and ground coffee, sweet spice, cream and fragrant herbs. It hits and it carries and it lingers. In fact the finish of this wine is quite something, not just because of the assertive-but-finessed tannin but because of the extra linger; the way it stays on until the job is completely done. No stone in this wine is unturned.

Drink: 2023–2035

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front October 2022

Anderson & Marsh 2021 Parell Albarino – 94 points

The Anderson & Marsh team is doing really good things with albarino.

It’s a fine wine from every angle. The chalkiness of the texture, the inlay of florals, the combination of intensity and length, not to mention the all-round style. It’s generally fruit-driven but then I’d also call it savoury, and complex. It’s driven by citrus, has a keen tonic/botanicals side, goes into grapefruit pulp and exits with a sure textural kick. The aftertaste introduces honeysuckle, perhaps even fennel, and steel. It’s a champion wine.

Drink: 2023- 2027

Campbell Mattinson   – The Wine Front October 2022

Mayford 2018 Ovens Crossing (Tempranillo/Cabernet) – 94 points

Dark, inky and opaque in the glass. Lifted aromas of blackberry, cola, bramble, cedar, spice, ironstone and anise. Full, rich, firm and structured on the palate. Plenty of dark, inky berry fruits, briar, licorice, sarsaparilla, charcuterie and soy. Savoury, textured tannins and snappy acidity temper the powerful fruit nicely.
2022–2032

Aaron Brasher – The Real Review August 2022

Mayford Wines – ★★★★★

Anderson & Marsh Parell Albariño 2121 – Gold – Rating 95

With each release, these 2 talented winemakers work hard to unravel the Spanish grape’s great mystery, not to mention suitability to our soils. They come mighty close in 2021, delivering a complex and aromatic wine of some beauty. Honeysuckle, lemon, pithy grapefruit, honeydew melon and touch of preserved lemon savouriness join a fleshy, mealy texture and spiced palate. Utterly attention grabbing, not to mention, delicious.

Mayford Wines Shiraz 2018 – Gold – Rating 95

Another exciting journey into cool-climate shiraz territory, exuding both strength and intensity, but with a fine touch. Scent of blackberries, generous spice and earth. Starts with a bang flavour-wise, all ripe, a no-beg-your-pardon confidence, but then slides irresistibly into an embrace of violet, dark chocolate and warm, woodsy spice.

Mayford Wines Ovens Crossing 2018 – Gold – Rating 95

Do yourself a favour and make this a keeper. While everything is in its place and nicely so, it’s still got a way to go, which is the winemaker’s intention. It is made with longevity in mind, hence the firm tannin structure and the noted involvement of vanillan oak wrapped around some classy, generous black fruits, spice and wild herbs. The middle palate sings a mighty tantalising song.

Mayford Wines Tempranillo 2019 – Gold – Rating 95

Winemaker Eleana Anderson is among a handful of leading tempranillo producers in this country forging ahead with the grape. This is a smart tempranillo, delivering a fine-grained elegance. Ripe, dark fruits lead by black cherry envelope the senses. Red licorice, violets and herbs add a fragrant touch on the palate, nicely entwined by savoury tannins. This wine is definitely heading in the direction of super-complexity. Keep it ageing a little longer, if you can.

Mayford Wines “John Warwick” Chardonnay 2019 – Silver – Rating 93

Named in honour of a Mayford veteran who has worked with the owners for nearly every vintage. Winemaker Eleana Anderson strives for a savoury and mealy style, all almonds, nougat, peach and nectarine, casting a complex web of flavours. Before drawing to a crisp, savoury finish there is a tantalising flourish of apple, orange rind and grilled nuts.

Jeni Port – Halliday Wine Companion 2022

Mayford Tempranillo 2019

Mayford and Tempranillo have become synonymous.

There’s plenty of bold flavour here though there’s a firm undertow of tannin and it feels seamless throughout. In fact overall integration here, particularly of oak and fruit, is excellent. Coffee, cola, black cherry, sweet herbs and roasted meat notes. It feels up-front and generous at first but then the finish trails out beautifully.

Mayford “John Warwick” Chardonnay 2019

12.9% alcohol but wow does it have a lot to offer.

Intensity of flavour here is fantastic. The palate is buoyant with peach, lime, nectarine and custard apple-like flavours though sweet oak too applies an appropriate boost. You take a sip and think, Whoa, we’re onto something here. Length is excellent, so too power, and personality. There’s a fresh, citrussy sear to this and yet it feels bold and textural throughout. This is a stand-out chardonnay from Mayford.

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Mayford Wines – ★★★★★

Mayford Wines Shiraz 2017 – Gold – Rating 95

Excellent spread of flavour and the balance to match. This is another tiptop release from Mayford. Trademark black cherry flavours almost move into plum; toast and chicory characters come thanks to oak; peppercorn is part of the wine’s story. Ultra-fine but assertive tannin exerts a certain confidence. All the right moves.

Mayford Wines Tempranillo 2018 – Gold – Rating 96

Mayford’s hidden valley just keeps turning out topflight tempranillo. This is as good as any release so far. It’s savoury as much as sweet, juicy with flavour as much as it is structured and controlled. Ample flavour without going overboard and a sustained finish; give it a couple of years in bottle and then start tucking in.

Mayford Wines Chardonnay 2018 – Silver – Rating 93

A fine chardonnay with lime, oatmeal, sweet peach and oak spice characters flowing harmoniously through the palate. There’s a subtle flintiness, just enough to give it some spark, but pure fruit and oak put the runs on the board.

Campbell Mattinson – Halliday Wine Companion 2021

Ranked: #1 of 21 2017 Shiraz from North East Victoria

Awarded: Top Rank

Mayford Porepunkah Shiraz 2017, Alpine Valleys, AUD $42

In a sea of recently tasted shiraz, this wine is a real stand out. I suspect it’s because it speaks as much of a place and time, as it does the variety. Undeniably ripe and bold of oak, it has an earthy undertone that adds charm and complexity.

Dark plum red with bright crimson edges. This feel wrapped in oak – quality hazelnut and caramel oak. A brooding core of black fruits, with a lovely seam of dried herbs. Something hauntingly compelling about it. Chalky tannins peel off dried blackberry fruit. Will likely score even higher in 12 months. (Screwcap)

Score: 95 ★★★★★

Drink : 2020 – 2030

Nick Butler  – Cellar Talk Wines

Mayford 2018 Tempranillo – 95 Points

There are only a handful of wineries around Porepunkah so no great surprise if you have never heard of it. The town is located high in the Alpine Valleys which helps to keep it relatively cool even during the baking Summer heat and gives the local wines both great power but also finesse. It is also a region making a name for itself with Tempranillo thanks to the work of Eleana and Bryan at Mayford.

This wine immediately gets the heart racing with its powerful, complex and intriguing character. It’s a little shy at first but over time peppery, nutmeg and boysenberry fruit emerges with an edge of bitumen and reserved oak. It is dry and quite tannic on the palate with well balanced fruit and a baked earth edge finishing long and firm suggesting good ageing potential but it is also delicious now.  You can find all the Mayford wines here.

Drink : 2020 – 2030

Angus Hughson  – Wine Pilot

Mayford 2017 Ovens Crossing – 97 Points

Mayford is a small winemaker in the upper reaches of the Alpine Valleys near Mount Buffalo not far from Beechworth so no surprise if you have never heard of them before, as they can be hard to find. But these wines are so worth seeking out.

The Ovens Crossing is their top wine, only made in the best years. It is a fascinating blend of largely Tempranillo and Cabernet although it is the Cabernet that shines through with sweet cassis and cedar fruits plus an attractive edge of spice and gravel well balanced with sweet fruits. It is dry and firm with intense and complex fruit. But it is really the exceptional structure that stands out. Perfectly ripened tannins match the lovely fruit and with good acid too. This is a seriously cool wine from an unusual blend and I’d love to see how it evolves over the next decade or two. Fantastic value and you can find all the Mayford wines here.

Drink : 2025 – 2038

Angus Hughson  – Wine Pilot

Mayford Shiraz 2017 – 94 Points

Porepunkah Shiraz from the Mayford vineyard.

Beautifully crafted wine. Filligreed tannin is the key to its quality but the spread of flavour is the source of the seduction. Black cherry into plum, toast and chicory, a suggestion of peppercorn and a subtle creaminess. Oak is certainly in play but overall the wine feels both balanced and confident. It’s another fantastic release from the gem that is Mayford.

Drink : 2021 – 2032+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Mayford Tempranillo 2018 – 95 Points

Mayford and Tempranillo have become synonymous.

Savoury, sweet, structured and sustained. The way this wine evolves in the glass is quite something. We get sweet cedar and coffee, cola and sars, earth and cloves. We get a solid push of flavour but there’s such reach to the tannin too. Quality is top notch. It’s going to cellar well too.

Drink : 2021 – 2028+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Trophy “Best Tempranillo” – 2019 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards

Mayford 2018 Tempranillo (Alpine Valleys, Victoria) ★★★★★

Mayford is a leading contender for the title of Australia’s best Tempranillo. From Porepunkah, near Bright in Victoria, this tempranillo is lively and complex, showing a little whole-bunch complexity to complement the spicy red fruit.  A touch of classy French oak completes this finely structured, savoury tempranillo.

Lester Jesberg – Winewise

2014 Anderson & Marsh ‘Catani’ Blanc de Blancs, Alpine Valleys, VIC (RRP $65)

This is the first release from two female winemakers in the Alpine Valleys – Jo Marsh (Billy Button) and Eleana Anderson (Mayford Wines). Those who have been to Bright in the region’s Ovens Valley would know that it is cold … very cold. This is a great example of a lively, dry and vibrant sparkling wine that showcases what this cool climate can do.

James Boden – In Daily: Adelaide Independent News

Mayford Wines – ★★★★★

2017, Ovens Crossing – Gold – Rating 96 

The varieties were fermented separately, percentages unknown. Probably doesn’t matter as this is harmonious, pulsing with beautiful cool climate fruit. It’s a mix of flavours from cherries and plums to an array of alpine herbs, spices and cedar from the oak, 50% new French barriques aged 11 months. Fuller-bodied but not heavy, very detailed tannins and it’s a delicious drink that will reward more with ageing.

2016, Mayford Shiraz – Gold – Rating 95

Testament to the site and skill of the winemaker when a vintage doesn’t play fair – a hailstorm effectively reduced the crop load by half, but quality is up there. Excellent colour similar to Chanel rouge-noir nail polish; dark fruits, warm earth, woodsy spices plus oak flavour all meshing well. This has power and drive across the full-bodied palate, determined tannins, but it’s also balanced and detailed.

2017, Mayford Tempranillo – Gold – Rating 96

Deep purple-red; dark red fruits, licorice root with a hint of bitumen, earthy and menthol, this is savoury through and through, concentrated yet the tannins are detailed, the length goes on and on. There’s a feeling, and aromas, of substantial oak, all should settle in time. Convincingly impressive and built for the long haul.

2017, Mayford Chardonnay – Gold – Rating 96

Possibly Mayford’s most complete and complex chardonnay to date. Always a richer style, this is superbly balanced, citrus and white stone fruits mingling with wood spices, and the oak neatly integrated. The palate is complex with creamy-leesy flavours and some flinty sulphides resulting in a satisfying wine.

Jane Faulkner – Halliday Wine Companion 2020

2017, Mayford Chardonnay – Score 94 

Creamy, fluffy yeast lees aroma together with some buttery notes that suggest malolactic. It’s taut and reserved, nervy and crisp in the mouth. Quite high-acid and refined; long, long carry. A smart wine, and it could reward some cellar-time.

Best drinking 2019 to 2027

Huon Hook

Gourmet Traveller WINE Cellar Door Awards

Best Tasting Experience – Alpine Valleys

GOLD MEDAL WINNER!

2017 Mayford Tempranillo

Wine Wise – August 2018

Mayford Wines – ★★★★★

Porepunkah Shiraz 2015 – Rating 96 

Dramatically different from the ’16, as it should be. 13 clones of shiraz made in small batches, variously spending 3-8 weeks on skins, matured for 22 months in French barriques (36% new). It’s luscious, filling the mouth and then some with its multifaceted purple and black fruits, rounded tannins and high quality oak judged to perfection. One of those wines tempting you to have a mouthful or so.

Best drinking 2018 to 2035

James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion 2019

2015, Mayford Porepunkah Shiraz – Score 96 ★★★★★ 

Deep colour and an earthy, toasty barrel and nutty bouquet, the palate spicy and deep, full-bodied and lush, with very attractive spicy shiraz flavour and a long, quite firm carry. Excellent. A serious, full-bodied red wine with structure, power and length – but also balance.

Best drinking 2018 to 2038

Huon Hook

Mayford Ovens Crossing Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Alpine Valleys – Score 95 ★★★★★ 

Only 70 dozen were made, but it is a cracking wine, the top wine from Mayford winemaker Eleana Anderson. Smoky, earthy savoury aromas, blackberry and cassis and a faint herbal note, the palate compact, dense and endowed with ample fine tannins. A super wine with a big future. (Screwcap)

Best drinking 2020 to 2038

Cellar Talk, Wine of the Week – Huon Hook

2016 Mayford Porepunkah Chardonnay ★★★★★

If there is a heavier Burgundy-shaped bottle, I haven’t encountered it, and have no wish to do so. Happily for those who have lugged a 6-bottle case into their cellar, the wine is full of character. If they’ve picked up 12 bottles they are either Olympic weightlifters or in hospital after cardiac arrest. The wine has a ramrod-straight link through the length of the palate, and will only soften slowly as it ages. It will be worth the weight and wait.

James Halliday – Wine companion Magazine Aug/Sept 2018

Mayford Shiraz 2015 – 96 Points

Porepunkah Shiraz, re-defined.

Mayford shiraz has been a beautiful thing on many occasions but this release arguably takes the cake. It shifts the conversation slightly. It feels finer, longer, more confident, more Burgundian. Cherries, chocolate, coffee and sweet spices, and ample quantities of each, all come as a seamless whole; there’s no jostling here, the flavours come as a team. There’s a raspberried brightness; a meatiness too. The flavours then all ripple through the tannin like a creek through rapids. We have ourselves something special here.
Drink : 2020 – 2030+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Mayford 2016 “Grapes of Wrath” Shiraz – 94 points

In contrast to the perfect weather of ’15, a wall of hail in the lead up to vintage destroyed half the crop.  Unexpected offers of help from friends resulted in this regional blend from Heathcote, Beechworth and the Alpine Valleys.  

It ripples with flavour and texture patterns, red, purple and black fruits with a collage of tannins.  Still to settle down, which it will surely do over the next few years.

James Halliday – Wine Companion Magazine June/July 2018

Mayford 2016 “Grapes of Wrath” Shiraz – 93 points

2016 was a difficult season at Mayford so this wine was made to tide things over. That’s the background though the quality is higher than those words might imply. It’s made mostly with shiraz from the Wanted Man vineyard at Heathcote though there’s input also from Beechworth- and Alpine Valleys-grown shiraz.

The word impeccable almost always springs to mind when tasting/drinking a Mayford wine and it does again here. This is ripe and (sweetly) berried but it’s manicured and neat too; its flavours feel as though they’ve been carefully placed, one by one. Blackberry, clove, plum, graphite, gum leaf and a bright redcurrant-like character. Smoky oak has been judged to perfection. Spice and floral notes hover. Not a big wine in any way but perfectly presented and a pleasure to drink as a result.
Drink : 2019 – 2027+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Mayford Tempranillo 2016 – 93 Points

Sure it was a difficult season but Eleana Anderson doesn’t accept excuses; she never puts out a bad wine.

There’s a glossy, polished aspect to this wine, often part of the Mayford appeal, though this release comes with rugged tannin too. A wine of rugged good looks, you could say. It’s raspberried, meaty, floral and laced with sweet, cedary oak. I thought it was fractionally hollow at first, the effect of the tannin, but as it breathed it was plain to see that there’s more than enough fruit and flavour here. I could drink this wine without any problem but I suspect it will be a much better wine with a few years under its belt.
Drink : 2018 – 2025+

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Gourmet Traveller Wine – 100 Top New Releases

2015 Mayford Tempranillo
95 points, 5 Stars

This is a youthful wine with a purple tinged colour and a slightly reticent aroma, developing spice and violets and a hint of black pepper with airing.  A bold medium-bodied red with good balance and elegance, which is sure to richly reward some cellar time. (Cellar 2-13 years)

High Country Wines Reaching New Heights

2016 Mayford Tempranillo
96 points

It was by no means an easy vintage – a ferocious hail storm meant owner-winemaker Eleana Anderson lost half her crop. Being meticulous in the vineyard, she has crafted an outstanding tempranillo that’s utterly delicious. There’s a lightness of touch here yet it still displays concentrated fruit flavours of dark cherries, plus drops of kirsch, red liquorice and sarsaparilla, with well-handled oak adding structure, spice and more. Medium-bodied with surprisingly fine tannins and supple too. Great attention to detail and it shows.
Drink: 2028

Jane Faulkner – Halliday Weekend Reading

Mayford Wines – 5 Stars / 5 Wine Glasses

Chardonnay 2015
The grapes were picked at exactly the right time, maximising their freshness and vibrancy, and also their varietal character. It is an outstanding achievement given its region, the actual vilification also high class. Rating 95

Shiraz 2014
Handsomely packaged, and delivers a beautifully made medium-bodied wine presenting varietal fruit without fuss, just effortless class. Red and black cherry and juicy satsuma plum flow through the mouth sustained by ripe tannins. Rating 95

Tempranillo 2015
Tempranillo was the wine that gained fame for Mayford, and this is a worthy member of the following vintages. It is bright, juicy and fresh, with red cherry fruit to the fore, and a long, convincing finish. Rating 95

James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion

95 Points – 5 Stars
2015 Mayford Porepunkah
Chardonnay, Alpine Valleys, $36

No.1  – TOP DRINKS OF THE MONTH

2015 Mayford Tempranillo, Alpine Valleys, $36

LAY ME DOWN

Mayford Ovens Crossing 2015 – 95 Points

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Mayford Porepunkah Tempranillo 2015 – 95 Points

Halliday Wine Companion Magazine

Mayford Chardonnay 2015 – 95 Points

Huon Hook

Mayford Shiraz 2014 – 94 Points

Huon Hook

Mayford Chardonnay 2015 – 95 Points

Ben Thomas, The Vine

Mayford Tempranillo 2014 – Gold Medal

Six Nations Wine Challenge, The New World Champions

Mayford Tempranillo 2015 – Gold Medal

Class 18B Tempranillo (More Structured)

2016 Australian Alternative Varietals Wine Show

Mayford Tempranillo 2015 – 95 Points

I have always had a preference for Mayford Shiraz but this Tempranillo goes pretty close. Is it the best Tempranillo in Australia? It definitely has claims. Like the Shiraz, this has beautiful balance and poise, it reminds me more of the Alpine Valley than Spain but that is not a bad thing. Drink now or over the next decade.

Anthony D’Anna, Boccaccio Cellars

Mayford Shiraz 2014 – 96-97 Points

Mayford is one of the best producers of cool climate Shiraz in Australia: up with the likes of Giaconda and Clonakilla for their Porepunkah Shiraz. Grown in miniscule amounts in one of the most picturesque vineyards in Australia. The 2014 vintage release is spot on, to the point where it might be the best release yet… 

Deep, dark, perfumed; so much complexity in just the nose. The palate is beautiful, so complete with layers and layers of fruit and everything in place in just the perfect way. Drink now and for the next 15-20 years. I have loved every release of Mayford Shiraz and this vintage is no exception. Want to jump on a ‘superstar of the future? Buy Mayford. This is close to the pinnacle of how great Victorian and Australian Shiraz can be. It is a benchmark in every sense of the word. It is so complete and complex it could command a $100 price tag and I think no one would blink an eyelid.

Anthony D’Anna, Boccaccio Cellars

Mayford Tempranillo 2015 – 95 Points

Tempranillo from Porepunkah in the Alpine Valleys wine region. North-east Victoria. Where the mountains meet the sky. I don’t live in Porepunkah anymore but I was in the area earlier this week and after a solid winter/spring of rain, the place is looking magnificent. It is, truly, one of the most beautiful places in Australia. Made me want to move back. Not, of course, that you can ever step into the same river twice. Re: this tempranillo – it’s released in mid-october-ish, I believe. Mayford tempranillo has been on an excellent run and this 2015 is as good, arguably, as any release thus far. Tannin is the key here. It’s bold and beautiful with fruit and oak, its luscious cherry, redcurrant and dry spice characters seducing at every turn, but it’s the rocks and stones of dry tannin that really set the wine off. Serious future ahead.

Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Mayford Chardonnay 2015 – 93+ Points

Chardonnay rarely misses at Mayford. Indeed, none of the wines do. There’s a lot to be said for only having a small portfolio of wines. This too is released in mid-october. This is juicy. It’s tasty. It’s sunny but sophisticated. It’s the kind of chardonnay most people love to drink: plenty of zippy but more than anything it’s about deliverying a good dose of flavour. Stonefruit, pears,, gunsmoke, grapefruit and spice. A flinty edge. It’s a beauty.

Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Mayford Shiraz 2014 – 95 Points

Mayford Shiraz from a tiny vineyard in the Alpine Valleys. In particularly fine form it is, too. It was released to the mailing list earlier this year but won’t be on wider release until October. It just has that little more power, and yet that little more finesse. This is arguably the finest Mayford Shiraz to date. It’s rich with ripe plum and cherry, has a healthy coating of smoky/cedary oak, shows highlights of clove and boysenberry, and pushes juicily out through the finish. Tannin is particularly well handled. This wine is still arranging itself, still smoothing out its kinks, but its future looks terrifically bright.

Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Mayford Tempranillo 2015 – 4.5 Stars

Many years of Tempranillo experience has gone into this wine, made with a bit more oak influence than others in the same genre. Herbal notes, black cherry flavours, and a good mid-strength tannin profile suggest this ensemble will relax in the bottle for several years, or decanter now for a few hours.  In Spain, this would register between “reserve” and “gran reserve”.

Tony Love, Herald Sun

Mayford Chardonnay 2015 – Trophy and Gold Medal

Trophy Best Alpine Valleys Wine

Gold Medal, Class 8

North East Victorian Wine Challenge 2016

Mayford Tempranillo 2015 – Top Gold Medal

Tempranillo Class 17

North East Victorian Wine Challenge 2016

Mayford  Tempranillo  2014 – 95 Points

Wine of the week. A candidate for Australia’s best tempranillo. Smoky red and black-cherry, aniseed and mixed spice aromas combine with great elegance. Intense and mouth-filling. An impressive wine. (14 per cent alchol; screw cap.) Ageing? No to 13 years. Food: Aged roast beef fillet. Stockists include: Boccaccio Cellars, Balwyn (Vic); Bond’s Corner, Northbridge (NSW).

Huon Hooke

Mayford  Chardonnay 2014 – 95 Points

Light straw colour and a buttery, butterscotch nose, the palate soft and rich, round and honeyed, with again a lot of malolactic character. A delicious wine, buttery and utterly charming. Lots of character and a very traditional Burgundy-style chardonnay, with that obvious malo character. Silky smooth and gentle in the mouth, with seamless acidity. Drink 2016 to 2024.

Huon Hooke

Mayford Chardonnay 2014 – 96 Points

There are no pretensions to fashion with Mayford’s chardonnay, this is all about texture, flavour and body, complex yet neatly composed. A fuller-bodied although not a big wine, it’s still tight offering up stone fruit, citrus and preserved lemon, quite intensely citrus actually with hints of oak spice, nutty, mealy leesy nuances fleshing out the palate so there’s texture too balanced out by neat acidity. As with the best chardonnays, this is moreish, savoury and a real palate pleaser. While Mayford’s tempranillo usually takes centre stage, its chardonnay has well and truly found its groove. Cellaring: 2016 to 2026.

Jane Faulkner, Winematters

Mayford Tempranillo 2014 – 96+ Points

Mayford has morphed into one of the leading lights when it comes to Australian tempranillo – and this 2014 is the most detailed to date. It’s dark purple-garnet and enticing in a big glass. While in the savoury spectrum, at its core there’s really juicy, good fruit serving up an amalgam of tempranillo flavours from sarsaparilla, Redskins lollies to fresh raspberries plus some oak spice and florals. Full-bodied, complex with distinct grainy tannins and refreshing sorbet-like acidity ensuring the end result is a superb drink. Cellaring: 2016 to 2028+.

Jane Faulkner, Winematters

Mayford 2014 Chardonnay

John C. Brown Memorial Trophy
Best Dry White Wine made from fruit grown in North East
Region of Victoria

Rutherglen Wine Show 2015

Mayford Tempranillo 2014

Though planted throughout Australia and used by about 340 winemakers, Spain’s tempranillo remains a niche variety. Our vignerons harvest just 4-5000  tonnes of it annually, depending on vintage conditions – about one 10th the volume of pinot noir, or 100th of shiraz. However, it makes instantly appealing red wines in a spectrum of styles. At a recent tasting from six producers, Mayford stood out as the most complete red. Its ripe blueberry-like varietal flavour came packaged in strong, savoury tannins that gave a chewy, satisfying richness to the palate and an assertive, dry finish.

goodfood.com.au

2014 Tempranillo

This cooler climate version of the variety celebrates not only the place it is grown, with subtle aromatics of mint and eucalypt, but also a “house style” that has been arrived at over close to a decade out of this site. While dense with superbly ripe, dark berry flavours, the main attention here is its spice and savoury layers and lead to a dryish, chewy textural finish. Released next month.

Taste – Herald Sun

Mayford Shiraz 2013 – 95 Points

This 2013 Mayford Shiraz follows in the footsteps of the superb 2013 Mayford Tempranillo. It takes time to come up in the glass but the depth of fruit here is the best I have seen from a Mayford Shiraz. It takes quality and stakes it firmly in the ground. It’s rich with dark cherry plum, smoky oak, chocolate, game and Asian spice, though it’s the stretch of dry tannin pulling through the luxury of flavour that really sets it apart. On the first day I tried it I wasn’t quite sure. On the second, I was certain. It’s a wine of presence and command.

The Wine Front

Mayford Chardonnay 2013

Buttery, creamy, complex bouquet, with suggestions of lees and malolactic. Some vanilla and butterscotch notes. A superbly fine yet rich chardonnay. There are grapefruit, mealy, peanut brittle and even passionfruit nuances. Intence grapefruit palate, fine and compact, delicate and long. An outstanding wine. Drink 2014 – 2022.

Huon Hooke

Mayford Tempranillo 2013

The colour is deep and dark, the bouquet is fresh and already quite complex, with a lifted floral, spicy perfume – with an inviting brightness. It builds cherry liqueur notes as it breathes. The palate has very good depth and intensity, fleshiness and medium to full body, with tight, fine-grained tannins. A superb tempranillo. Mayford’s had more density and extract than most Aussie versions. Drink 2014 – 2031.

Huon Hooke

Mayford Tempranillo 2013 – 97 Points

This is the tempranillo Australia had to have. This is a truly stunning wine. It’s been a long, hard journey for Mayford Tempranillo to come of age but here it is, of a sudden, all grown up, and it’s better than anyone may well ever have imagined. Kudos to Bryan Nicholson and Eleana Anderson, the folks behind the growing and making of it. It’s a super savoury wine, super tight, ripped with muscular, earthen, smoky tannin and yet perfumed, spicy, intriguing. The flavours extend into tomorrow. Graphite and chicory, red earth and redcurrant, fennel. At heart and in essence though, this wine is dry and structural, a rocky outcrop, a dare, a climb, a step into the hitherto unchartered. Previous vintages of Mayford Tempranillo have been good; some have caused a splash; this release builds on all those previous steps, and yet its quality rises far over the ruck of them all. I’ve followed Mayford closely over the past handful of years but I have to say: I didn’t see a wine like this coming.

The Wine Front

Mayford Chardonnay 2013 – 94 Points

Contrary to how it might seem, the reviewing of wines grown locally to where I live is one of my least favourite tasks. A wine like this chardonnay from Mayford however makes life quite a bit easier.
It’s an effortless wine and yet it lingers beautifully through the finish. Drinking it is a pleasure. Lemon, barley, pears and apple, with smoky/spicy/wheaty notes on the tips. Balance is spot on. Thoroughly enjoyable.

The Wine Front

Mayford Leonard George 2012 – 94 Points

From the back label: “This special release celebrates the eightieth birthdays of Leonard George and Lesley Rose Nicholson, champions of Mayford and respected clan elders”. It will be released next week. It’s clearly from a favourable season. It shows classy, smoky oak and quite a deal of it at first, but given time to breathe it opens into a beautifully integrated wine, shot with coffee, spice, woodsmoke, and the pulp of boysenberries and plums. Prominent acidity gives the wine a succulence, a liveliness. Ripe, intricate strings of tannin act as the puppeteer. It’s a confident release, and will reward cellaring.

The Wine Front

Mayford Wines – 5 Stars / 5 Wine Glasses

Mayford Wines Rating 5 Stars & 5 Wine Glasses. The roots of Mayford go back to 1995, when forester Brian Nicholson planted a small amount of shiraz, since extended to its present level with 0.8ha. Chardonnay (1.6ha) and tempranillo (0.6ha). In the words of their backgrounder, in-house winemaking commenced shortly after he selected his seasoned winemaker bride in 02, and the first Mayford wines were released in 07. Wife and co-owner Eleana Anderson became a Flying Winemaker, working four vintages in Germany while completing her wine science degree at CSU (having much earlier obtained an arts degree). Vintages in Australia included one at Boyntons Feathertop (also at Porepunkah), where she met her husband-to-be. Initially, she was unenthusiastic about the potential of tempranillo, which Brian had planted after consultation with Mark Walpole, Brown Brothers viticulturist, but since making the first vintage in 06 she has been thoroughly enamoured of the variety. Eleana practises minimalist winemaking, declining to use enzymes, cultured yeasts, tannins and/or copper.

James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

Mayford Shiraz 2012 – 97 Points

Close to the pinnacle of how great Victorian and Australian Shiraz can be: 97 points. I will put it out there: I have loved every release of Mayford Shiraz and this vintage is no exception. Want to jump on a ‘superstar of the future? Buy Mayford. The 2012 vintage release of Mayford Porepunkah Shiraz is every bit as good as the 2010 release and is up there with the best from the region (include Giaconda if you will) and just shows you how good Alpine Valley Shiraz can be.

Anthony D’Anna, Boccaccio

Mayford Tempranillo 2012

2012 Tempranillo wins Stewards Choice Trophy at 2013 Australian Alternative Varietals Wine Show.

Australian Alternatives Varieties Wine Show

Mayford Tempranillo 2012

“Oh so fine, is this the future of Australian Tempranillo?”

Jeni Port, The Age 1.10.2013

Mayford Tempranillo 2012 – 93 Points

Mayford Tempranillo has fast become a sought-after wine. It’s made by Eleana Anderson in tiny volume to meticulous standards. It’s a leader of the Australian tempranillo pack. It’s from a few years ago now but if you haven’t read of the Mayford story, you can do so here. Mayford Tempranillo is of course from a small hand-tended ampitheatre-like estate at Porepunkah in the Alpine Valleys region of north-east Victoria. This 2012 version will be released in October 2013. The 2012 season wasn’t the easiest for red wine in these parts but it has produced some excellent results. This is one of them. Balance and texture are its calling cards. So too is a deceptive firmness of tannin. Polished, cedary, smoky oak, sweet-sour cherry, fistfuls of assorted dry, woody spice and a whisper of eucalypt. Oak has been beautifully managed and applied. It’s the most seamless tempranillo from Mayford yet. It’s infantile; it will be much better in 3-4 years. But it’s definitely a goodun’. Rated : 93 Points, Alcohol : 14%, Price : $35, Closure : Screwcap, Drink : 2015 – 2020

Campbell Mattinson – The Wine Front

Mayford Chardonnay 2011

“Winemaker/vignerons Eleana Anderson and Bryan Nicholson have developed an exciting small range of wines from their Porepunkah vineyard. Tempranillo tends to steal the most attentiion, but I find their chardonnay equally exciting – full in flavour and character without being bloated or to weighty; developed, but with toned muscle definition. From the cooler 2011 ripening season, the fruit gives luscious aromas of ripe peaches and honey, with just a pinch of spice and spikey struck-match sulphides. The rich, fleshy palate combines elegance with generous flavours of nashi pears, limes and traces of flinty minerally trailing through a long finish. This sensual style shows precisely why chardonnay is now back in fashion.”

Alpine Style Magazine

Mayford Tempranillo 2011

Mayford from Porepunkah in the Alpine Valleys is one of the few winemakers in Australia to get tempranillo consistently right. A very pretty style from the cool 2011 vintage with savoury wild cherry, earthy fruit, lifted dried thyme and spicy edges. A great drink now but will also cellar well for five-plus years.

Wish, The Australian

Mayford Tempranillo 2011

This is just pre-release though I’ve had the good fortune to taste/drink it a couple of times. The first time I was impressed by its aromatics, the second by its tannin structure. It was a tough year in the Alpine Valleys (there will not be a shiraz release) as it was in many parts, but Eleana Anderson and Bryan Nicholson run such a meticulous estate that the tempranillo has sailed on regardless. Screwcap sealed. Whoa. Incredibly vibrant, juicy, alive. More-ish and then some. Cherries, musk, peppers. Perfumed. But for all its up-front deliciousness, it maintains a strict, filigreed, tannic line. Pitch perfect. No need to cellar it though I suspect it will cellar remarkably well. It certainly opens up beautifully as it rests in the glass. Some cola characters minus the sweetness. Such a gorgeous/pretty wine. I thought it was a (admittedly delicious) short termer when I first tried it but I now don’t think it is; it has legs.

The Wine Front

Mayford Tempranillo 2012

The 2010 Tempranillo has just been awarded a Double Gold at the 2012 Five Nations Wine Challenge.

Five Nations Wine Challenge

Mayford Shiraz 2009 – 5 Stars

Mayford Wines 5 Stars.
Porepunkah Shiraz 2009 Rating 95.
Porepunkah Tempranillo 2010 Rating 95

James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion 2012

Mayford Tempranillo 2010 – 95 Points

Consumed this over a couple of nights and was sad to see it go. Immense drinkability and a real future ahead of it. Characterised in some ways by its dry, succulent, rippling tannin, though there is a fair show of flavour preceding it. Fruit-wise it does a gorgeous rendition of sweet-savoury: here it’s squishy, ripe, liqueurous cherries with spicy wood, soy and undergrowth. Feels both pure and precise through the finish. More-ish but intellectual. Beautiful wine. Rated: 95 Points.

The Wine Front

Mayford Chardonnay 2010 – 94 Points

This is an exciting chardonnay release for Mayford and the Alpine Valleys. Its a wine of style and charm and, most importantly, pure enjoyment. I loved the 2008 Mayford Chardonnay but for my own drinking pleasure, this is the one. It’s got both flavour and refinement in spades. Fennel, gunsmoke, nashi pears and limes. There’s a drift of tinned pineapple-like flavour but it soon turns flinty and dry. Mealy, leesy elements and complexity. But it’s not the individual components so much as the overall effect; it smells and tastes delicious and as it breathes in the glass it just gets classier and classier. Rated: 94 Points.

The Wine Front

Australian Gourmet Traveller – May 2012

Many of Australia’s exciting new wines are being made by Victoria’s next-generation grape-treaders…

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J Fawkner Review – The Age

Based in the Heart of Porepunkah, winemaker Eleana Anderson produces a teeny amount of wine – around 500 cases, including some terrific shiraz and chardonnay. But her tempranillo is standout. It’s a dense plush wine, full-bodied and quite opulent with rich savoury nuances, sweet leather and exotic spice, liquorice and a hint of menthol. Fleshy on the palate with ripe sweet tannins offset by cleansing acidity on the finish. Will need decanting and a Moroccan-spiced roast leg of lamb as its dining partner. Available Europa Cellars, East Melbourne.

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Boccaccio Cellars Review

By far the best Australian Shiraz that has passed my lips for a long long time. Eleana Anderson has a magical touch should be included in the same breath as Tim Kirk from Clonakilla as the best winemaker of cool climate Shiraz in Australia…

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Gourmet Traveller – Wine

“2010 Mayford Tempranillo, Alpine Valleys. This is one of the better examples of tempranillo that Australia has produced. With a deep purple-red hue and aromas of dark berry, subtle oak and mint, it’s full bodied and firmed up by tight tannins which are in good balance with the fruit and weight. Delicious Drinking. 8”

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Sydney Morning Herald – Good living, wine – April 2012

“TOP AUSSIE RED – Mayford Tempranillo, Alpine Valleys 2010, $38. Deep red-purple colour introduces a most stylish tempranillo with charm and balance. Dark berries, subtle oak, traces of mint and spice. In the mouth, delicious berry flavours with spice, mint and herb adding extra dimension. Harmony and drinkability galore. Best now to 2020. 14% alcohol. 92/100. Food: Grilled lamb chops.”

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Australian Gourmet Traveller – March 2012

“2010 Mayford Tempranillo, Porepunkah Vic $35
This would have to be a contender for the best tempranillo yet produced in Australia. Surperb depth of glossy black fruit, but also terrific complexity of cocoa-dust tannin. Drink with slow-roast lamb.” Max Allen

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