McIvor Estate is a delightful stop in Heathcote, and if you are heading up from Melbourne, it may well be your first. (In winetasting, you want to save the best for first, so that works well in this instance.)  The quaint cellar door is cute and homey, the tasting notes are on point, and the service is exceptional.  Most importantly, the wines are generally outstanding and the collection on tasting are unique, making for an interesting and rewarding tasting.

Planted from the late 90’s on, McIvor has grown to what we would consider a small/medium winery for Heathcote (there are plenty much smaller).  Varietals planted include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz as well as less typical varietals such as Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and Marsanne.  The wines being produced from these are outstanding.  On our visit, we particularly loved the Merlot (one of the better Merlots we’ve had in AUS), the unique Sangiovese / Cab Sav blend, and their hallmark Heathcote Shiraz.