About Mayfield Vineyard

Mayfield Vineyard is one of the highest & coolest vineyards in Australia near Orange in New South Wales, Australia. The 100 hectare estate surrounds the historic homestead on the Icely Road leading to where gold was first discovered in Australia in 1851.

The original school house on the estate now serves as a Cellar Door

The cool climate & low vigour soil induces an extended, gradual ripening period which allows the grapes to develop flavour & colour that translates into elegant wines of distinction.We hope you will gain a strong appreciation of the qualities which make Mayfield Vineyard and its wines unique.

Climate

Reliable rainfall in late winter & spring provides a good start to the season giving way to drier ripening months of February, March & April.The grapes are harvested late March to early May. Degree day summation for October to April is 1309 degrees with an average of 1856 hours of sunshine. This makes Orange one of the sunniest cool climate regions in Australia & plays a major role in producing grapes & wine of distinct fruit flavours & colour.

■The region has a continentality of 15.4 degrees C ranging from cold winters to warm (but not hot) summers.

■There are at least two winter months with average daily mean temperatures of less than 10 degrees C to induce the required grapevine dormancy.

■Proximity to 1400 metre high Mount Canobolas causes seasonal variations which add a certain character to individual vintages.

■The vineyard has a N-NE aspect to receive early sunshine and avoid hot afternoon sun.

■The absence of extreme heat at Mayfield allows grapes to ripen slowly without disturbing sugar & colour accumulation whilst acid levels fall slowly.

The Vineyard

Mayfield Vineyard is located 10 km from Orange, New South Wales, Australia at an altitude of 850-930 metres, 33 degrees 20’S; 149 degrees 10’E, within the well regarded, cool climate, Orange Appellation.

The vineyard has a north to north-easterly aspect. The soils are generally red-brown podsolic low vigour clay loam over a shale base interspersed with gravel, which assists drainage.

Mayfield Vineyard is one of the highest & coolest vineyards in Australia, which experiences an extended, gradual ripening period. This aspect combined with the low vigour soils and a modest yield regime is highly conducive to the production of elegant and refined fine wines.

Tim Esson acts as Viticultural Consultant. Tim has in-depth experience of the highly diversified Orange Region which is converted to maximum effect at Mayfield where no compromise is accepted in the quest for fine quality wines.

Grape Variety Area                     (hectares)         2009 Yield tonnes/ha

Merlot                                              12.0                         8.2

Cabernet Sauvignon                        9.0                         5.9

Pinot Noir                                         2.7                         4.2

Sangiovese                                        0.9                          6.8

Sauvignon Blanc                              5.7                          8.0

Chardonnay                                      4.1                          8.0

Riesling                                             1.8                          9.2

Total                                                 37.2