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The name 'Reiver' is taken from the border raiders of the Anglo-Scot borders. Throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the border country was ravaged by lawless Reiver families in a vicious cycle of raid, reprisal and blood feud. Their allegiance was first to the family, the surname, and not the crown, whether English or Scottish.
'Rubro et albo vexillum volitat, pro sanguine, pietale, sanctitateque et familiae honore'
'The flag flies red and white - for bloodshed and righteousness and the honour of the family'.
Vineyard
The grapes come from a single vineyard in Greenock in the northern part of the Barossa Valley which is situated at 550 metres above sea level and grown in a continental climate. The average age of the vines is around 60 years old and they receive very little irrigation. The soils are free draining loam over limestone. Yield in 2005 was 1.4 tonnes per acre (24.5hl/ha).
Vintage - 2006
The Barossa valley experienced late opening rainfall after one of the driest autumns of the century. Despite this, winter rainfall was slightly above average, with relatively mild weather. Late December and early January saw a series of heatwaves, which slowed vegetative growth particularly on Shiraz. March then recorded precipitation approximately 50mm above average, however this did not slow ripening. Overall crops were lower than the previous vintage, with less colour and finer flavours. GOLD Medal winner at IWC 2008
Winemaking
The fruit was fermented for 10 days on skins at 18-23° in open fermenters. The wine was then cold pressed and underwent partial barrel fermentation followed by natural malolactic fermentation before racking. The gross lees were left in contact with the wine and stirred in barrel, to enhance the typical Barossa earthy, truffle characters in the finished wine.
Tasting Note
Earth and spice, some dusty notes from the fine-grained French oak add futher interest and complexity. Briary fruit and blackcurrant notes also provide a freshness to the nose. The 06 Reiver shows more restraint than previous vintages and will take a few months to begin to blossom in bottle. Flavours of dark chocolate, Satsuma plums and crushed leaves mingle with supple tannin and refreshing acidity.
Cellaring
Will evolve nicely for 8-10 years.
Robert Parker: The 2006 Shiraz “Reiver” is sourced from a single vineyard in the Greenock region of the Barossa Valley. The average age of the vines is 60 years. Opaque purple in color, it has a enthralling perfume of saddle leather, truffle, violets, pepper, blueberry, toast, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied wine which manages to retain elegance. Opulent, ripe, and layered with spicy blue and black fruits, the wine has enough underlying structure for extended cellaring. Nicely integrated and long in the finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 12-15 years. Mitolo, which began operations in 1999, is a partnership of the Mitolo family and winemaker Ben Glaetzer. The focus is on McLaren Vale fruit from Willunga, the most southern part of the district. All of the wines below are from the 2006 vintage which Glaetzer characterizes as “?a mild growing season with no problems. It ranks with 2002 as my favorite vintage”. 94/100
Other wines from the Mitolo winery available from HarperWells include: Mitolo 'Jester' McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 and Mitolo G.A.M. McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006