Human inputs are important of course, but the role played by the surrounding peaks in shaping growing conditions and wine style cannot be understated.

Mayford winemaking begins in the vineyard, where the winemaker can be found every vintage, grape snips in hand and the exercise of judgement is a truly dynamic process. Flavour and tannin maturity are optimised by a highly selective picking process, and multiple passes are made over each variety.

Chardonnay is whole bunch pressed into French oak barriques, approximately 25% new, for fermentation and ageing. The reds undergo a cold soak prior to fermentation. A combination of whole bunches and crushed, de-stemmed fruit is fermented in small open pots with vigorous hand plunging and extended post fermentation maceration, to build complexity and refine tannins, before being basket pressed into French oak barriques, 25-30% new, for maturation.

Each parcel and clone (of which there are many) are vinified and matured separately so it’s not uncommon to have 10-14 micro ferments for each wine. The diversity of clonal expression and variation of textures and flavours between parcels makes for a beautiful and creative blending process prior to bottling. This is where the Mayford magic really happens.

Mayford wines are crafted, not produced, with the hope that they will be cellared, shared and cherished with love and without ego over the coming decades.