Mitolo Jester Shiraz 2023

Mitolo Jester Shiraz is a rich, polished McLaren Vale Shiraz with generous dark fruit, chocolate and spice wrapped in soft, supple tannins. Sourced from the warm Lopresti Ridgehaven Vineyard in Sellicks Hill, it captures the region's natural depth and ripeness while balanced acidity keeps the full-bodied palate lively. Seasoned oak adds vanilla, allspice and gentle savoury complexity without overwhelming the blackberry, plum and cherry fruit. Approachable and crowd-pleasing, it is a natural match for chargrilled steak, slow-cooked beef, barbecue meats or a hearty pasta dish.

What the winery says:

The bouquet and palate are rich and enveloping, showing blackberry, dark plum, blueberry, baked cherry and confit fig alongside couverture chocolate, vanilla, allspice, liquorice and sarsaparilla root. Fresh acidity supports the ripe fruit, while velvety, supple tannins carry through the finish. The fruit came from the Lopresti Ridgehaven Vineyard on Hahn Road in Sellicks Hill, where heavy clay loam with shattered gravel lies over Christies Beach Formation. The grapes were destemmed and crushed, then fermented at 20 to 24°C with twice-daily pump overs and gentle extraction. Fermentation finished in stainless steel before malolactic fermentation and 16 months in seasoned oak hogsheads, comprising 80% French and 20% American oak. The wine was bottled without fining and received light filtration.

What the experts say:

Matthew Jukes, 17.5+/20 (2023 Vintage)
"This is a very impressive wine with a much grander feel than many at this price. The nose is exotic, spicy, herbal, and dry, and, like the Cabernet, it will come into its own in the New Year and then roll forward like a sleek black limo!"