The true story of the man McIvor remains a mystery. Surveyor? Bushie? Station Overseer? Local pioneer? Whatever the legend, his notoriety named a region, upon which the McIvor Estate vineyard now thrives.
Owners Gary and Cynthia Harbor have paid close attention to the region’s slightly cooler temperate and have planted varietals that prosper under such conditions. Marsanne, roussanne, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, as well as Italian varietals sangiovese and nebbiolo are part of the McIvor Estate offering, as is, of course, shiraz, for which the region is most acclaimed.
The family have produced a regional benchmark example of this variety in their McIvor Estate Shiraz 2005, winner of the coveted Premier’s Gold Trophy at the 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show. The terrain of the region results in wines of elegance and finesse that reward short to medium term cellaring.
McIvor Estate has been modelled on an Italian mixed farm, paying homage to the owner’s Italian heritage. On the weekends, the cellar doors are flung open and the outdoor wood-fired oven gets a workout with home-style pizzas and wet dishes on special occasions. Olive oil is also produced under the McIvor Estate label, and available for purchase in small quantities.
