The essence of Mitolo Wines can be traced back centuries through generations of agriculturists and viticulturalists. In 2000, Mitolo made its first Shiraz, and two years later its first Cabernet Sauvignon. Since that time, Mitolo has championed these two varieties with fruit from some of McLaren Vale’s finest vineyards. Whilst building its reputation for premium Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon offerings, Mitolo expanded its range to include several Italian varieties paying homage to the family’s roots.

Precise and driven. Fine boned yet eminently present. Red and dark fruits along with mocha and liquorice nuances, yield to highly finessed and incredibly fine-grained savoury tannins. Graphite in texture, the wine is tightly wound within long mineral acidity, which carries intensity through the palate. White pepper, cedar and elegant allspice notes linger throughout the enduring, linear finish.

Super-premium shiraz postcode 101: judicious extraction conferring tannic prowess; presumably some whole-berry work imparting floral/iodine lift and a joyous pulpy mid palate; barrel-ferment smoked-meat aromas and a skein of pepper, tapenade and clove-doused freshness. This is a bumptious warm-climate shiraz that nevertheless boasts the aromatic synergy and structural latticework of an expression from somewhere cooler. Very good. Date: Nov 2020; Alcohol: 14.5%; Drink by: 2030; Rating: 95 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion

More high-toned and red-fruited, the cherry-scented 2018 Savitar Shiraz also hints at vanilla, cedar and dried spices (from the oak), plus some slightly darker berry notes. It's full-bodied but tighter and more age-worthy than the GAM or Angela, with a taut, lingering finish. Date: Feb 2021; Drink: 2021-2035; Rating: 95 Points;  Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate