95 POINTS - Wine Orbit, Sam Kim"This is superbly ripe and enticing on the nose, showing blackberry, violet, clove and roasted hazelnut aromas. The generously flavoursome palate offers silky texture backed by finely infused tannins, making it delicious and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2037."94 POINTS - Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot"This terrific McLaren Vale Shiraz is named after Frank Mitolo’s Gemma, Alexander and Marco, which seems just a tad prosaic in comparison with how and why some of the other wins got their monikers but rather, nonetheless. The wine spends sixteen months in new French oak (15%), 5% American oak and the remainder a mix of older French and American. An opaque maroon hue. We have notes of black fruits, bay leaves, chocolate, coffee grinds, maraschino cherries, chocolate mud-cake and cassis. A supple cushiony texture with gossamer-silky tannins. Hints of bergamot emerge on the palate, with a flicker of raspberries. There is an alluring plushness with exceptional length. This should provide joy for ten years."STORYMitolo’s first release, G.A.M. was named in honour of Frank Mitolo’s three children – Gemma, Alexander and Marco. TASTING NOTEA fruitful and expressive nose of red plum, sweet red cherry and blackberry. Sweet spices of cinnamon and vanilla, and notes of Dutch chocolate. The rich and generous palate carries the plum, cherry and blackberry from the nose. Creamy chocolate and velvety textures surround well-structured, mouth filling tannins, giving the wine ample mid-palate breadth. Succulent acidity frames the wine perfectly, leaving a satisfying and moreish finish. WINEMAKINGParcels for the 2020 G.A.M. Shiraz were destemmed and crushed into a mix of 8 tonne and 2 tonne open fermenters, with twice daily pump overs throughout ferment. Temperatures were kept cool, between 20 and 24ºC to extract the tannin, colour and flavour very softly. Once pressed, these parcels were transferred to French and American oak hogshead barrels for 16 months maturation and natural malolactic fermentation. The final blend was put together from 15% new French oak, 5% new American oak and 80% seasoned French and American oak, before a further 4 months of barrel maturation in seasoned oak, to fully integrate the blend. The 2020 G.A.M. Shiraz was bottled without finings and received only light filtration. VINEYARDLopresti Home Block and Lot 10 – Flour Mill Rd, Whites Valley.Soils across these two blocks include grey to brown sandy clays, brown cracking clays and black Biscay clays sitting over alluvial Ngaltinga formation. These highly reputed soils maintain soil moisture during the growing season then dry out and crack open in summer, controlling vine vigour and concentrating flavours in the fruit. Cooling sea breezes off the Gulf of St Vincent mediate daytime heat and keep nights cool, retaining acidity and vibrancy.
