Mitolo Serpico Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Fruit is hand-picked quite early (around 13° Baume) and placed onto 10kg drying crates. The grapes are left to dry in our temperature and humidity controlled sheds for approximately six weeks. This follows the traditional Amarone techniques, resulting in a 30% loss in bunch weight. After drying, the wine is fermented on skins for two weeks and then is left for a further three weeks before pressing. This extended time on skins actually helps to soften the wine as the small, aggressive tannins are bound up in the process leaving only larger, silky tannins in the wine. The wine is then stored in oak barrels for ten months before careful barrel selection precedes blending and bottling. So we're looking at a 10 year old wine with an alcohol content of 15%. It's a bit of a beast, but it's ultra interesting and to think this wine has softened over the past 10 years is rather mind blowing. The Amarone wines of Italy are famous for their rich concentrated wines with a high level of alcohol. The brief has been achieved here too. The first mouthful provides you with rich, luscious and concentrated stewed fruits of black plums and black berries. The Alcohol does play a role in a port like, rum pot and dark chocolate influence through the mid palate but the heavy fruit component deals with this well plus theres a minty influence which softens the wine alongside a spicy zing which then finishes with tight, dry tannins. Its a #verygoodwine which I can't seem to stop drinking, but it's also not for the faint hearted Budburst Rating: #Verygoodwine Region: McLarenVale Last Tasted: 16/1/22