Mitolo 7th Son Grenache Shiraz 2017 (6 x 750mL) McLaren Vale, SA

Description:

STYLE

Seventh Son Grenache Shiraz is quite a different wine for Mitolo and a commitment to the McLaren Vale region and its most revered varieties. The Grenache portion, sourced from old bush vines off the sands of Blewitt Springs, provides rustic, lighter, earthier flavours than the fruit forward, softer Shiraz portion sourced from the Lopresti vineyards. When blended together though these opposites provide a great foil for each other, creating a complex and intriguing wine. There is very little new oak influence in this wine, with older oak barrels chosen for the elevage. The tannins are sandy, almost gritty, helped along by the tiny dollop of Sagrantino, a little Italian twist on a classic blend from southern France and McLaren Vale. This is a wine made more in the earthy style of the wines of my European heritage, yet still speaks loudly of place, McLaren vale, with its generosity and purity.

VINEYARD

The Grenache is sourced from the northern part of McLaren Vale known as Blewitt Springs where the soil is deep sand. This vineyard of old gnarly bush vines is dry grown and farmed with minimal input. It is a cooler site than where the Shiraz and Sagrantino parcels are sourced: the Lopresti vineyard found about 18km to the south on the clay flatlands near the beach. The Grenache brings florals, pretty fragrance, cherry spice and soft tannins. The Shiraz offers a juxtaposition of style with the warmer conditions and heavy clay soil giving a richness and depth to the mid palate, an ideal foil for the Grenache.

VINIFICATION ,/b>

The Shiraz and Grenache parcels were kept separate until the final blending stage just prior to bottling. Both parcels were destemmed without crushing then pumped over once daily. The ferment was kept cool throughout in an attempt to extract the tannin, colour and flavour very softly and to hold onto the pure fruit characters that are a signature for Mitolo. The wine was kept in one and two year old barrels, all of French origin, for 18 months before being blended. We added just a small amount of Sagrantino to the final blend, also from the Lopresti vineyard, to enhance the structure of the wine. The final blend was clarified by racking only, and bottled without fining or filtration.

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Wine Summary Image

STYLE

Seventh Son Grenache Shiraz is quite a different wine for Mitolo and a commitment to the McLaren Vale region and its most revered varieties. The Grenache portion, sourced from old bush vines off the sands of Blewitt Springs, provides rustic, lighter, earthier flavours than the fruit forward, softer Shiraz portion sourced from the Lopresti vineyards. When blended together though these opposites provide a great foil for each other, creating a complex and intriguing wine. There is very little new oak influence in this wine, with older oak barrels chosen for the elevage. The tannins are sandy, almost gritty, helped along by the tiny dollop of Sagrantino, a little Italian twist on a classic blend from southern France and McLaren Vale. This is a wine made more in the earthy style of the wines of my European heritage, yet still speaks loudly of place, McLaren vale, with its generosity and purity.

VINEYARD

The Grenache is sourced from the northern part of McLaren Vale known as Blewitt Springs where the soil is deep sand. This vineyard of old gnarly bush vines is dry grown and farmed with minimal input. It is a cooler site than where the Shiraz and Sagrantino parcels are sourced: the Lopresti vineyard found about 18km to the south on the clay flatlands near the beach. The Grenache brings florals, pretty fragrance, cherry spice and soft tannins. The Shiraz offers a juxtaposition of style with the warmer conditions and heavy clay soil giving a richness and depth to the mid palate, an ideal foil for the Grenache.

VINIFICATION ,/b>

The Shiraz and Grenache parcels were kept separate until the final blending stage just prior to bottling. Both parcels were destemmed without crushing then pumped over once daily. The ferment was kept cool throughout in an attempt to extract the tannin, colour and flavour very softly and to hold onto the pure fruit characters that are a signature for Mitolo. The wine was kept in one and two year old barrels, all of French origin, for 18 months before being blended. We added just a small amount of Sagrantino to the final blend, also from the Lopresti vineyard, to enhance the structure of the wine. The final blend was clarified by racking only, and bottled without fining or filtration.

Region:
SA - McLaren Vale
State:
South Australia
Country:
Australia

Expert Reviews

An exciting sounding blend as a taster, especially after an avalanche of shiraz and Bordeaux varieties. After all, this is what Australia does very well and potentially, will do even better. An uncanny meld of deeply southern grapes in grenache and sagrantino, the former sheer raspberry bonbon joy; the latter, arguably the densest most tannic variety known. Shiraz, the workhorse that gives some fill. Firework aromas: flint, graphite, crushed rock, wood smoke. Kirsch through the centre, lifted by floral scents. This is a delicious, highly innovative blend. - Ned Goodwin - Halliday Wine Companion

Winery Tasting Notes

Notes Image

COLOUR

Medium burgundy red

NOSE

The fruit profile is darker here, with black cherry and dried fig, crushed tobacco leaf, dried woody herbs, and a savoury iron like earthiness that is very intriguing.

PALATE

Medium bodied, with a plush mid palate full of those darker flavours of black cherry and cigar box. The Sagrantino gives the juicy Grenache and Shiraz fruit a great framework though, with its strong drying tannins also providing a focal point to the finish.

FOOD MATCH

A perfect match to a simple plate of sliced Norcineria, a sausage made from wild boar (Cinghiale) in Sagrantino’s native Umbria.

Medals & Trophies

Silver

Halliday Wine Companion

Winery Profile

Brand Profile Image

When the Mitolo family arrived in Australia in the 1950s they brought their viticulturist ancestry and an ethos belonging to the Abruzzo region - forte e gentile or strong and gentle. The family worked hard to become successful market gardeners while staying true to their origins where food and wine, family and friends, laughter and celebration were an integral part of life.

After years of working in his family’s potato business, Frank Mitolo started making wine for family and friends.

In 1999, after a now legendary 5 hour discussion with winemaker Ben Glaetzer, the pair fashioned a dream of making the ultimate expression of McLaren Vale’s rich provenance of soils. They jotted a six word business plan on the back of a napkin: individuality, integrity, quality, purity, elegance and power.

The first Mitolo wine, the 2000 G.A.M. Shiraz was named after Frank’s children Gemma, Alex and Marco. Since then Mitolo have added another 16 wines to the range each with its own distinct personality and story.

The winery works closely with its growers, the Loprestis. The Loprestis, also Italian immigrants and old friends of the Mitolos, have an affinity with their land, producing fruit of the highest quality. The fruit is the essence of Mitolo, with a depth of flavour garnered from heavy clay soils, yet freshness thanks to the gentle afternoon sea breeze. In the winery, Ben takes a ‘hands-off’ approach, fermenting cool to retain purity, and using a range of barrel coopers to generate complexity yet respect and enhance the fruit.

The Mitolo Italian heritage runs strongly through the range using the Italian varieties and techniques. Business meetings are still held over Sunday lunch with traditional Italian food and of course Mitolo wine shared with friends, old and new. And at the heart of it all, in the wine style, in the people, is the motto that the Mitolos brought from Abruzzo - forte a gentile: strong and gentle.

View Mitolo website

Other Information

  • 2017 vintage
  • 6 x 750mL units
  • SA - McLaren Vale, South Australia
  • Screwcap closure
  • 14.5% alc.

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