Timo Mayer

Brand Description

A hip little winery in the Yarra Valley messing around with 100% wholebunch.

Timo Mayer grew up in Germany, where his family have been making wine for over 400 years. He moved to Australia and studied winemaking at Wagga Wagga, before working at De Bortoli and Gembrook in the Yarra Valley and establishing Mayer Wines in 2000. Having made his name with elegant, innovative Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, he’s recently started experimenting with varieties like Nebbiolo and Gamay, and continues to lead the charge for elegant, complex wines that reflect the Yarra Valley’s cool climate.

 

Location of Vineyard

Timo and his wife, Rhonda, planted a 2.4 hectare vineyard on a slope, which they named Bloody Hill ‘because it was bloody steep!’. Ideally located in the center of the Yarra Valley.

Winemaking and Viticulture Philosophy

Bring back the funk!

Timo Mayer is a hip little winery that produces hand crafted, single vineyard wines. They believe that wines are made in the vineyard and therefore try to interfere with the natural winemaking process as little as possible. All of their wines are unfined and unfiltered to reflect the true expression of the land.

 

Brand Summary

Vineyard Image of Bloody Hill, with the name imprinted on the lawn of the vineyard
Photo of Timo and Rhonda in the Vineyard
Photo of Timo in the Vineyard
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Winery Profile
Owner: Timo Mayer
Winemaker: Timo Mayer
Total acreage under vine: 7
Founded: 1999
Production: 2500 Cases
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Acclaim
“The 2023 Dr Mayer Pinot Noir is overtly bunchy on the nose, leading with blood orange and Campari, raw cocoa powder and black cherries. Timo Mayer is well known for his 100% whole-bunch style, and it is securely deployed here in this wine. There are pan-fried Madagascan peppercorns (the green ones in the little green can), grated carrot, strawberry shortcake, paprika dolce, sweet roasted bone marrow and forest floor nuances. It's incredibly complex and potentially polarizing, but it’s exciting to consider and to write about.” — acclaim for 2023 Dr. Mayer Pinot Noir from Wine Advocate, Nov 2024
“The 2023 Syrah is sappy and green, with a profusion of whole bunch (of course, 100% is the house style) that dominates the variety and the regionality. I'd love to see an old Mayer Syrah; I wonder if they go in the direction of the Jamet Côte Rôtie, in its mid-weight, bunchy way. Here, I find it a little much at this early stage. However, the confidence of style is impressive. There is moss and a peaty nuance, blood plum, sour cherry, chewing tobacco and sage.” — acclaim for 2023 Mayer Syrah from Wine Advocate, Nov 2024
“The 2023 Bloody Hill Pinot Noir leads with a bloody, almost meaty nose of game, sweet roasted marrow, black cherry and strawberry top. In the mouth, the wine is fine-boned and taut, with sour cherry, tobacco, a hint of maraschino and brine. Silty tannins settle on the palate once the wine has gone, meaning it builds in intensity the more you drink. There's an ultra-attractive forest floor character here that feels like it will evolve and age wonderfully.” — acclaim for 2023 Mayer Bloody Hill from Wine Advocate, Nov 2024
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