Description
Kilikanoon, established in 1997 by Kevin Mitchell, with grapes from two vineyards owned by Kevin and his father Mort, specialises in producing wines with strong regional and varietal definition.
In its relatively short history Kilikanoon has won a large number of Australian and International awards and received high praise from the world’s most respected wine writers. The 2002 Clare Valley Wine Show really put Kilikanoon on the map, when they took home six of the seven trophies. Since that time the winery has gone from strength to strength taking home a number of awards including the San Francisco International Wine Competitions, Best of Nation Trophy (2010), and receiving comments such as “This is one of the most brilliantly run wineries in Australia” from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Kilikanoon has been awarded ‘Australian Winery of the Year’ four times in the past eight years; by James Halliday in 2013 and Mundus Vini of Germany in 2010, 2017 and 2018; Previous Winner of the 2018 Shiraz Trophy – International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC); Platinum and 97 points Decanter World Wine Awards 18
This is the flagship wine of Kilikanoon, old vine Clare shiraz comprising the best 4 vineyard parcels from vines planted by Kevin Mitchell’s father Mort in the 60’s and 70’s. Made in an opulent and regional style to benchmark the best of Clare Valley terroir it has now been awarded World’s Best Shiraz for the third time by the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London. The Oracle Shiraz was also listed on Langton’s Classification in 2010 in only its tenth year of production making it the youngest winery to have a wine listed on Langton’s Classification.
2015 release is here and it is on song!
From the winemaker: “With the exception of the 2011 vintage, each year since 1997 we have released the iconic Oracle Shiraz. Crafted from old vine fruit grown along the Golden Hillside in Leasingham, it continues to display the opulence, regional character and varietal power the valley is so renown for.
A number of low-yielding, discreet parcels of Shiraz were selected, vinified separately using time-honoured traditional winemaking techniques, then aged for 18 months in a selection of new and one year old, small French oak casks. The final cuvee was assembled and bottled, both unfined and unfiltered, in January 2016. Extended cellaring then occurred before the release of this wine in 2019.
Brick red in colour with youthful crimson hues. Richly focussed and hedonistic in its presentation, the aromas of dark chocolate, ripe plums, truffles, kitchen spices and cedary oak char swirl impressively on the nose. The concentration, focus and textural qualities of this wine showcase its enduring legacy, further broadened through the raft of flavours both carried over from the nose and appearing for the first time. Ripe juicy plums, dark chocolate, Turkish delight, fresh licorice and tarry complexity, the classy oak and powdery tannins provide a lingering feature of the captivating finish of the wine.
95 points, James Halliday 2020 Australian Wine Companion “From plots of low yielding estate vineyards on the Golden Hillsides separately vinified and matured in new and 1yo French hogsheads. A full-bodied shiraz, fruit, oak and tannins all making obvious contributions. It needs a few more years, but it has the essential balance. Drink by 2045”
RRP $111 **LAST BOTTLES OF THIS VINTAGE!
(New vintage available here…)