Mayford Chardonnay Alpine Valleys 2023

I am more than happy to say that Mayford Chardonnay is one of the best Chardonnays in Australia. Having tasted multiple vintages over the last year, it stands up young and with age. Mayford Chardonnay is delicate and nuanced with mid-weight and a lot of complex characters. Drink it now, drink it in 10 years. Just make sure you are drinking Mayford Chardonnay. 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 Chardonnay Alpine Valleys 2023Wine Notes "Cool conditions in summer and autumn of 2023 pushed harvest into late February and March, giving the crop extended ripening time on vine. Small parcels of Chardonnay were hand-picked, chilled and whole bunch pressed sequentially to French barriques, 25% new. Fermentation in oak by indigenous yeasts followed before an eleven-month maturation period with lees stirring and full malo to offset the high natural acidity of the season. Complex aromatics of citrus blossom, toasted nuts, yellow peach, bees wax, crème brulee and flint. The palate offers texture and a perfect balance of fruit weight, refreshing acidity and lovely, luscious length. It meshes finesse with power and persistence. A beautiful wine that will delight and evolve for decades. Drink 2025 – 2045. Bottled February 2024 Bottled under screw cap."