Each vintage can be so very different, resulting in significantly varied growing seasons and the resultant wines. Quality notes on recent vintage conditions:
2016
A difficult year. Severe drought, and a very hot summer have seriously impacted both volume and quality. While volumes were well down there were some good parcels of fruit from which the wines are showing well at an early stage particularly the sangiovese and nebbiolo.
2015
A classic year with good growing conditions throughout and the fruit being picked in line with more recent vintages. This vintage saw our first straight vermentino and rose. All the wines are now in bottle and show a consistency of quality across the range.
2014
This vintage was a little later than some of the vintages prior or since with the shiraz being picked in late April. Managing the shiraz over 3 picks enabled the development of some more complex flavours. The other reds have also show up well, particularly the Italian varieties; sangiovese and nebbiolo.
2013
The best vintage for a number of years with good rains during the growing season and a dry autumn resulting in no disease pressure at harvest. The marsanne blend (now out of stock) was particularly good and very age worthy and expect it to be still going strong in 10 plus years. In respect to the reds they are all very good quality with great consistency across the range with the standout being the Giannisceddu, a blend of sangiovese and cabernet.
2012
Despite high rainfall in February threatening the crops with disease, we were fortunate with the following warmer weather, which worked in our favour, limiting problems and creating perfect ripening conditions; it has, in the end been a very good result with good crop levels and superior fruit quality. We have seen some good cabernet, sangiovese and nebbiolo coming your way.
2011
The end of 2010 and the start of 2011 saw a La Nina weather event which produced massive amounts of rain during the growing season. Disease pressure was high such that we produced no wines which were released under the McIvor Estate label.
2010
A classic year with very good quality wines produced. Good spring rains and milder summer temperature meant that flavor and tannin development was good in the reds. The Italian varieties were bigger richer styles The white, our marsanne blend will cellar well with good depth of flavor. Harvest continued the recent trend of commencing in March with the white and finishing mid-April with the cabernet and nebbiolo.
2009
A warmer year with an early commencement to vintage. The warm / hot summer produced wines that were bigger and richer particularly the shiraz which while full flavored showed great balance. Vintage commenced mid-March but was completed by early April. A short compact vintage. While our vintages can go over 4 to 6 weeks the 2009 vintage was completed in a much shorter time frame reflecting the warm vintage.
2008
Vintage finished weeks ahead of normal given the warm start to the year. Vintage was finished by Easter with all the grapes picked over a fortnight. Normally vintage is spread over four or five weeks. The fruit from the shiraz looked some of the best we have picked. The vines are getting older and are producing fruit with better definition and depth of flavour.
2007
A year to forget! Severe drought, a hot summer and then rain only days before vintage seriously impacted both volume and quality. Only a limited number of wines are likely to be released under the McIvor Estate label.
2006
A warm start to the year meant an earlier vintage. Volumes were down but the wines have continued to be of good quality. The vines are now well established and the fruit flavours are becoming more complex. Good quality shiraz and Sangiovese.
2005
A great year with near perfect ripening conditions with the wines all showing ripe flavours. We picked again in late April early May and harvested the fruit at optimal ripeness. The shiraz was a cracker and the merlot cabernet blend also a very good wine.
2004
Pretty uneventful from a climatic perspective, with a prolonged growing season. Picking times were reminiscent of ’02 with the grapes picked late. The sangiovese and nebbiolo were picked at the end of May. All the wines were of very good quality with the cabernet merlot and sangiovese showing extremely well.
2003
A severe drought year. Previously we had a dam to fall back on for irrigation but the winter of ’02 produced no runoff for the dam. The vines were left to fend for themselves, having a serious impact on yields, which were down on ’02. Despite this, the wines were equal to previous vintages in depth of flavour and overall quality. All varieties showed richness, with the merlot and shiraz showing excellent qualities.
2002
A long cool growing season. Starting off with a cool windy period at flowering (resulting in poor fruit set and reduced yields). We picked in early May much later than in ’01. This produced rich flavours in all wines – the shiraz and the sangiovese were outstanding.
2001
Generally good for our first vintage of reds. We picked in late April following some rain. The question was; do we pick or leave the fruit on the vines for longer and risk the possibility of disease?