Mitolo Serpico Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Drink it now or cellar for up to 20 years. It is recommended to decant it for an hour. The Australian winery Mitolo was founded in 1999 in the McLaren Vale wine region by the eponymous family of Italian origin, who moved to Australia in the 1950s. Today, the company collaborates with winemaker Luke Mallaby. Inspired by the famous detective who exposed corruption within the NYPD in the late 1960s, which later became the basis for a film starring Al Pacino, Serpico is a Cabernet Sauvignon that goes against the grain, made with the Appassimento (drying) method, used in Italy for wines such as Amarone. The grapes come from the Lopresti family's Home Block vineyard, on soils originating from the Ngaltinga formation. The vines enjoy an east-west exposure and sea breezes from the Gulf of St. Vincent. After harvest, 34 days of drying in temperature-controlled environments, and fermentation, the wine ages for approximately a year and a half in hogshead French oak barrels (80% new) before bottling with a light filtration. On the nose, the wine reveals a complex and rich aromatic profile with intense notes of plum, blackcurrant, cassis, and blueberry, followed by hints of tapenade, pepper, dried herbs, and a touch of leather on the finish. On the palate, it is bold and powerful, balanced and elegant. It has fine, compact tannins and a very well-balanced, refreshing acidity. It is full-bodied and concentrated with a long, smooth finish. Enjoy it with spicy beef recipes.