Marsican Shiraz 2019 (Giftboxed)

Story

Frank Mitolo’s father, Bruno, was born to an Italian viticulturist. He arrived in Australia aged 14, with farming in his blood, to work alongside his brothers. With him, he brought the ethos of his homeland, the Abruzzo region – forte e gentile or strong and gentle. Bruno forged a new life in Australia that laid the foundation for his success. Marsican is named after the rare Marsican bear, native to the Abruzzo region. The same bear can be seen in the night sky over Italy forming the Ursa Major, a constellation that has been used as a navigational reference point for millennia. Marsican is a tribute to Bruno’s heritage, and his enduring influence over the family.

Tasting Note

Deep crimson to dark red in colour. Immediately rich yet elegant bouquet, deep dark plum and baked cherries. Nutmeg, chocolate and coffee hints build with time. Layered and complex, texture beginning silky smooth and highly polished. Tannin intensity climbs to provide assertive and very fine tannins, offering perfect support to carry blackberry, satsuma and dark plum, and rich cherry through the very long palate. Subtle hints of dried fig and cocoa bean add interest to the dry spice notes from the nose. Succulent, driven acidity increases intensity and lifts fruit vibrancy throughout the palate, marrying with the tannins to define a firmly structured finish, assuring its ageability and prowess.

Winemaking

Made by individually selecting the best barrels from our finest parcels of Shiraz, the 2019 Marsican was selected from the Home Block and Lot 11 Vineyards. Destemmed and crushed, fermented in 2 tonne open top fermenters with twice daily pump overs. Temperatures were kept cool, between 20 and 24˚C, to ensure the elegance and purity of the fruit was retained, while 10 days on skins developed an intensely woven tannin structure to set the wine up for ageing. Matured in 100% New French Oak Hogs Head barrels for 18 months with natural malolactic fermentation occurring during this time. The final blend was clarified by racking only and bottled without fining or filtration.

Vineyard

Lopresti Home Block and Lot 11 Vineyard – Flour Mill Road, Whites Valley

Less than 2 kilometres from the coastal town of Aldinga and only 4 kilometres from the Gulf St Vincent. The Home Block, at 40+ years of vine age and the Lot 11 Vineyard, now fully mature and producing wines of outstanding quality and impressive power, are blessed with a mix of sought after alluvial grey sandy and Black Biscay clay soils, sitting over ancient Ngaltinga formation. These highly reputed soils take up winter rains and maintain soil moisture through spring, supporting balanced growth to set the vine up for summer and into harvest. Sea breezes mediate day time heat, while the cracking clays reduce vine vigour during the critical ripening period to direct the vine’s energy into creating fruit with concentrated flavours and highly finessed yet intense structural tannin.

Presentation

Each Marsican bottle comes hand wrapped and beautifully presented in an elegant timber gift box.

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