"What is left to say about Timo Mayer, aside, he keeps on making outstanding, fascinating, wonderful wines. There's the howling at moon, baying at the wind, shirt tearing and pant splitting stuff, of course, and his incredible, unique site"
Winefront Australia
Nathan visited Timo Mayer on a Saturday lunchtime at his winery on the Bloody Hill in the Yarra Valley. Timo grew up in the village of Fellbach, near Stuttgart (the same village as our rock star pinot winemaker Rainer Schnaitmann) and learned his craft there before emigrating to Australia in the 1990's.
These are cool climate wines with great purity, elegance and intensity and they've found a cult following amongst critics and sommeliers. As the name suggests these vines are positioned only 75 cm apart from each other. Timo likes to use a proportion of whole bunch to give his wines a particular stalky savouriness, which is very much a trademark of his Pinots. For this cuvee he does a 100% whole bunch ferment with a portion of the grapes, and blends that back with the destemmed component.
It is produced in line with organic practices, and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. The finished wine has fragrant whole bunch characteristics, fresh red fruit, and plenty of spice. Delicious and balanced, with a very long finish.