Description
What a remarkable jouney for Clonakilla. When John Kirk first planted vines in 1971 who would have thought it would be celebrated as one of Australia’s finest vineyards! Their first Shiraz Viognier was made in 1998 – by 2005 it was deemed ‘Outstanding’ in Langton’s Australian Wine Classification … by 2010 it was promoted to “Exceptional” .. up there with Grange and Hill of Grace! Murrumbateman & Canberra wine region are all about cool climate shiraz … complex layering of raspberry, violets, spice, cracked pepper, roast game with darker blackberry, blackcurrant and aniseed in warmer years. Clonakilla’s shiraz across the board including the Hilltops and O’Riada remind me of syrah at it’s best from famed ‘Cote Rotie’ in France’s Northern Rhone.
Sean O’Riada is one of the heroes of modern Ireland. A talented musician and composer, he is credited with taking traditional Irish music out of the kitchens and pubs of Ireland and putting it on the concert stages of the world. He died, prematurely, in 1971, the year Clonakilla was established by John Kirk. He was John’s cousin and music is alive and well in the family bloodline.
About this vintage from the winemaker: “2022 was a cool vintage with gentle ripening progressing well into autumn. The O’Riada is made from fruit picked from our estate vineyard and other fine sites in Murrumbateman and Hall. It’s a quintessential Canberra Shiraz, medium bodied with red berry and floral themes and plenty of cool-climate spice.”
New 2022 vintage just arrived and is looking great! Review for 2021 ..93 points, Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion “With red berry fruit aromas and flavours infused with fresh herbs and eucalyptus, this wine reflects the coolness of vintage as much as the region. Although those green, leafy characters are somewhat tempered by oak spice, warm earth and a core of sweeter fruit across the palate. More medium bodied, it has a succulence and tang throughout with sandpaper-like tannins and a bitter radicchio finish. All pleasing, yet needs more time to settle in bottle (otherwise hearty, meaty fare is essential).”
95 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front “Savoury, firm tannin, charming rusticity, a distinct style. This one hits the mark too. So savoury, but fresh too, and all that hazelnut and clove seems very fruit derived, with layers of spice, game meat and faint herbal inflection. Texture is bright, crisp almost but for the slinky, roughed up but silky tannins. Succulence to finish, a kiss of ripe fruit and the spice trails long away. Such a beautiful wine. Wow stuff.”
RRP $50 Our Price $42.99 – LAST OF THIS VINTAGE.
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