Orange’s historic Mayfield Vineyard has released a new Pinot Noir in its Estate Range of wines. The 2023 Mayfield ‘Mrs Crawford’ Pinot Noir ($37) joins the 2023 Mayfield ‘Eighteen Fifteen’ Chardonnay ($37).
The Crawford family was instrumental in the development of the Mayfield property. “Our Pinot Noir honours the Crawford family, who lived on the property for many generations,” says owner John Eastham. “Mayfield was a mixed farming property, with James Crawford establishing his Suffolk stud in 1917, selling rams across the world and building the property into the most prominent and successful Suffolk stud in NSW.”
The property changed ownership within the Crawford family until Margaret Crawford assumed ownership. Over the course of 65 years Margaret planted the arboretum that currently surrounds the homestead. It is her everlasting gift with over 50 species of trees, many now over 100 years old.
“We are continuing their tradition of being the best we can possibly be. James Crawford was satisfied with nothing but the very best in stud sires and breeding ewes, and Margaret was just as tenacious with her garden. We are continuing the tradition with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.”
The 2023 vintage was characterised by a cool, wet spring. Experience gained from previous, similar vintages put the Mayfield in good stead for the 2023. During February and March, Mayfield experienced consistent warmer weather. This extended the growing season and allowed the fruit to be both phenologically and flavour ripe. “We needed to manage the vines closely, to keep on top of disease and mildew issues, which we achieved.”
The new 2023 Mayfield ‘Mrs Crawford’ Pinot Noir was hand harvested. The grapes were fermented in open top tanks (30 percent whole bunch) prior to being maturated in Tronçais French oak puncheons (20 percent new) for nine months to build complexity, character, and complement the purity of the fruit.
The 2023 Mayfield ‘Eighteen Fifteen’ Chardonnay builds on the inaugural release, with this vintage sourced from the same vineyard blocks with maturation in French oak puncheons and hogsheads including Ermitage, Dargaud and Jaegle and Damy barrels (35% new oak). The lees were stirred regularly to develop palate weight and texture. The wine underwent 100% Malolactic fermentation.
Pricing & distribution: The Mayfield wines are distributed by QED Wines and are also available direct from the winery via www.mayfieldvineyard.com.au
- 2023 Mayfield ‘Mrs Crawford’ Pinot Noir (Orange region) $37.00
- 2023 Mayfield ‘Eighteen Fifteen’ Chardonnay (Orange region) $37.00
For further information, samples or images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine Marketing & Communications: 0414 736 342 or david@definewine.com.au
Charles Simons at Mayfield Vineyard: 0473 862 248 or charles@mayfieldvineyard.com
Mayfield Vineyard: The history of Mayfield dates to 1813 when William Charles Wentworth became one of the first Europeans to cross the Blue Mountains. He was granted the ‘Mayfield’ property as thanks from the Governor of NSW. The property grew and prospered under various custodians before the Thomas family purchased the property in 1998 and planted its first vineyard. In 2021 Mayfield was acquired by the Eastham family who later acquired the adjoining vineyard, reuniting the original Mayfield property.