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 is 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.
Riesling flourishes and this 2017 is top shelf!
From Tim Kirk, winemaker: “We had some challenging moments leading up to the 2018 vintage. A hail storm on January 9th reduced the size of the crop, but the fruit that remained was harvested in excellent condition and full of intense flavours. Drink now for its fine floral, citrus-edged fruit or cellar for up to 15 years and watch it develop lime and toast characters with age.”
“This wine…feels like it is attached to the vast Canberran skyscape, vibrant, airy, weightless and magical. It offers a different take on the many Australian Rieslings in this Report and there is nothing like this shape of wine anywhere else in the world.”– Matthew Jukes – Top 100 Australian Wines
12.5% Alc/Vol”
“To every thing there is a season. And for Clonakilla riesling, the warm, dry 2018 season produced a riper, richer wine than in the cooler 2017 vintage. Despite the heat, ‘Grapes held excellent acid’, says winemaker Tim Kirk.
That tangy acidity balances a delicious riesling with rich, citrus-like varietal flavour in the pure, delicate Clonakilla style. It’s impressive now as a vibrant, fruity young wine. But it’ll change in pleasing ways over the next decade – best experienced by cellaring a case and enjoying a bottle every year or two, potentially over decades.
Kirk says 2018 marks the first year his riesling came predominantly from young vines on a cool south-facing slope near the cellar door building. Previous vintages had been sourced from a combination of estate-grown fruit and grapes from nearby Long Rail Gully.” Chris Shanahan
94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front “Beautiful wine of poise, assertive flavour and great velocity across the palate. Scents of lime cordial, talc, jasmine floral characters. A pretty, gently sweet start. Flavours coil around lime juice and brisk, grape-fruity acidity. Chalky-mineral characters chime in. Arrow-thrust to infinity. It’s another cracker.”
RRP $39 Our Price $31.99 LAST OF THIS VINTAGE.
