2009 Mitolo, GAM Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia (£28.99, Highbury Vintners tel. 020 7226 1347, The Sampler tel. 020 7225 5091, Sipp London tel. 0207 745 7477, www.swig.co.uk, Bennetts tel. 01608 661409, Lockett Bros tel. 01620 890 799, www.harperwells.com). Next Tuesday, at Australia House, I launch the ninth edition of my annual 100 Best Australian Wines initiative to the UK wine trade. Several hundred sommeliers, wine merchants, wine buyers and journalists will taste through this century of great wines and I hope that they will sing their praises for the next twelve months. Clearly I cannot give away any of the wines today, but you would be well advised to read this piece closely because Frank Mitolo’s wines have appeared so often in my list that they qualify for ‘Hall of Fame’ status. You may be familiar with Mitolo’s Jester range – a Cabernet and Shiraz which are made from the ‘off-cuts’ from his more serious wines. They are great value and very serious indeed. This year, however, I have pulled one of the big guns out of the rack to show you. GAM, named after Frank’s children Gemma, Alex and Marco is an extraordinary wine. Succulent and moreish with glossy black cherry, damson and chocolate notes, this is Frank’s most delectable wine of the vintage. Get in quick before everyone else does. The full list of the 100 Best Australian Wines 2012, their stockists and prices will be published on my website next Wednesday.
