2008 Shiraz Jester

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2008 Jester 'Tarlton' Shiraz reveals an abundance of black cherry, blackberry, cinnamon and licorice notes with hints of vanilla and mocha. Crisp, full bodied and rich in the mouth, it has a medium level of rounded tannins and a long finish. Approachable now, it should drink well to 2015+. A native of the Adelaide region, Frank Mitolo began making wines about 15 years ago. In 1999 with winemaker Ben Glaetzer on board, he set up his own winery. The Mitolo estate label will be featured in the South Australia report (Issue 192), but as a sneak preview this is a selection of good value wines from Frank's second label, Jester. Importer: Vintus Wines, New York, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000; www.vintuswines.com