Mitolo Wines Reiver Shiraz 2023

This is a serious Shiraz. Pitch-black in the glass, the aromatics roll out in waves - blackberries at full throttle, dark cocoa, a lick of liquorice, a hint of tapenade and something savoury and gamey that keeps it all nice and grown-up. There’s a sweet spice and toasted oak note humming along underneath, tying it all together. On the palate it’s dense and indulgent without tipping into overkill territory. Ripe plum and blackberry glide across a plush, velvety texture, framed by fine tannins that give it shape and staying power. It’s generous, layered and long - the kind of red that lingers in conversation as much as it lingers on the finish. And then there’s the bottle. Classic Chianti shape - a quiet nod to the family’s Italian roots and the traditions that inspired the current generation. Old world silhouette, full-throttle Australian fruit. Drink now or hold for like 10 or 15 years? This one bats deep.