2008 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier |
| Vintage | 2008 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Clonakilla (web) | ||
| Variety | Shiraz Blend | ||
| Designation | Shiraz Viognier | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Australia | ||
| Region | New South Wales | ||
| SubRegion | Southern New South Wales | ||
| Appellation | Canberra District | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 2318626000020, 727760506886, 7350079965582, 9342020000020 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2016 and 2025 (based on 45 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 93 pts. in 107 notes) | |
| Tasted by Cremuel on 3/7/2024 & rated 91 points: Bob's cellar. Nice garnet red, no evident bricking. Swirls of sharp cassis pinched with redcurrant, spicy menthol, twist of black cherry nose. A little dryness on opening tasting, but this is washed away by delicious red berries, cassis and damson, peppery spice, and a nicely done dash of tannic grip. With some air, crunchy red fruit comes through, funky forest floor. Really good. (483 views) | |
| Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 2/10/2024 & rated 94 points: Deeply coloured, bright red with black core. Bright, intense fragrance. Dark spice, red berries, blood plum, damson, rich cassis. Fruit flavours drive the impression, rich and sweet, but with excellent structure, finessed, lithe, refined. Primary fruits still set the profile, gentle secondary flavours only, youthful. Hints of dark tar spice, licorice, graphite. Silky, stylish and delicious. (630 views) | |
| Tasted by ogres3 on 2/9/2024 & rated 92 points: So I really liked this wine. Could have been a Napa syrah. Great fruit, complex, fairly smooth, very nice finish. (582 views) | |
| Tasted by Cremuel on 12/31/2023 & rated 90 points: Bob's cellar. Deep red, no bricking evident. Nose is deep damson, cassis, lovely stewed black fruit, rich and delicious. The Viognier hits your palate (in a good way) initially, it's complex and layered. Vegetal notes bubble up to the top, and there's a sharp red fruit behind. Tannins are still peppery, and in control. Nice wine. (602 views) | |
| Tasted by john_s on 8/2/2023: Barely ready to my taste. The combination of screw cap and excellent cellaring conditions make for a very long time for maturation. Côte Rôtie under cork takes long enough, but for someone of my age this wine is problematic. What I should have done 12 or so years ago was store it in a kitchen cupboard. Apart from that, it's a lovely wine. (1060 views) | |
| Tasted by Avid Wino on 4/14/2023 & rated 95 points: Deli meats, red fruits, exotic spice, ample length, dreamy tongue coating feel good tannin, supreme balance. Worthy accompaniment to a 50th birthday meal, though life got in the way of those plans and we’re a few days past. (1083 views) | |
| Tasted by Geerath on 12/15/2022 & rated 95 points: Dec22- Screwcap, some sediment. Slowox 3 hrs. Ruby red, translucent on the rim. (red)berries and cream, with a subtle reductive biltong, dried herbs sous bois underlay. Palate has a lovely savoury red fruited, dried cranberry + licorice kind of vibe. Tannins almost completely integrated, with just a small uplift of interwoven pepper and acid fanning out at the end, giving vibrancy. This is an outstanding wine, and I’m throughly impressed. Clearly not at the end of its drinking window for me, but at a great spot all the same and over the next 6 yrs+. 95 (1326 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 9/24/2022 & rated 94 points: In great shape. Drinking really well (1506 views) | |
| Tasted by tanduybui on 9/12/2022 & rated 92 points: This bottle was much better than the one I had a few months ago so a re-evaluation. It had life, definition, power and much more drinkable. Who said there is no bottle variation with screw cap. Bright ruby. Complex bouquet that is dominated by floral notes, spice / white pepper, cherry and a hint of rose petal. Palate was humming with freshness accompanied by dark plums or berries, peppery and with a sweetness undertone. Tannin was present with vanilla oak quite present. The finish was long although not satisfying. The wine had power but missing the grace on the finish which let it down. Drink now to 7+ years. (1453 views) | |
| Tasted by chatters on 8/17/2022: Blind Tasting Australian Shiraz (Taylor's wines, Alexandria): Medium minus intensity aromas of charcuterie, savoury, meaty, blackberry and black pepper with a little red berry underpin. Chalky tannins dominate the palate, the fruit is a little dried out but does grown with time. A good decant should help. (1625 views) | |
| Tasted by brisbane piefan on 7/31/2022 & rated 96 points: Beautiful. No rush at all. Perfumed and spicy with dark fruits and a subtle wash of pepper. (1312 views) | |
| Tasted by BAJRiley on 7/8/2022 & rated 94 points: Appearance: showing good developed but not too much bricking. Medium+ intensity nose that is fragrant and showing lots of pepper, black fruits, some meat and herbs. Palate: medium+ body. Fine tannins, acidity is still bright for its age. Great balance and concentration. Has softened nicely. Outstanding. Alas, my last bottle from 2008. (559 views) | |
| Tasted by dsimmons on 7/8/2022 & rated 93 points: Very happy with my first bottle of three. Concentrated fruit. Some acidity. drink or hold. (1263 views) | |
| Tasted by tanduybui on 6/26/2022 & rated 90 points: This wine needs more time and right now, it is still somewhat unintegrated. The role of the viognier is quite prominent, currently giving it a perfume lift and raciness. Certainly it helped with smoothing out the tannin which is still quite present. So why is not a great wine? Yes, it ticks all the boxes but it is very linear - straight as an arrow with the taste profile not truly changing from front to back palate. And it does not have the depth at this stage but this could change. It is Rhone like as there is a hint of that rustiness but not too much. Drink in 5+ years. (860 views) | |
| Tasted by Dsen on 6/24/2022 & rated 92 points: Needed a longer decant ! (835 views) | |
| Tasted by mphatic on 4/17/2022: Screwcap, 14% alc. No formal notes. Dusty cherry, plum, Italian herbs, fennel, deli meats in the background, pencil shavings. Light and bright on the palate. Has a delicacy about it, though is surprisingly starting to thin out compared to previous bottles. Retains good length in a light frame. (51 views) | |
| Tasted by JonathanP on 1/1/2022 & rated 94 points: Screw cap. Decanted for 3 hours. Bloody beautiful and still quite youthful. Nose is a complex and savoury mix of dark fruits, red berries, charcuterie, blood and bone, bramble, earth, some floral notes and spices. Not peppery. Very refined on the palate where there is excellent drive and focus. Medium to full bodied, and tannins are present but very lithe and well on their way to resolution. Excellent balance with all parts of the choir singing from the same sheet of music. Drink now with a decent breathing or let rest for 5-10 years. (1368 views) | |
| Tasted by Rote Kappelle on 10/30/2021 & rated 95 points: Scored using the Cellar Tracker scale as 'Outstanding'. My note is made courtesy of a very good friend who poured some for me. I believe I was tasting on day 2. The swine made my inferior palate work hard, because he did/would not tell me the variety. I really need the crutch of the label to help me, otherwise in blind tastings I have a terrifying tendency to veer off into strange territory, like a Be-bop sax player in a swing band. It is interesting, but just not good. The colour is quite deep, with great persistence, promising power as befits a great, war, year. The colour suggests a wine out of nappies but there is little evidence of bricking. The nose shows charcuterie, red fruits, berries , but also some darker characters. There is perfumed lift as well. At first I wondered if this wasn't a really bulky Grenache based wine. There is a note of black pepper that takes one to Shiraz, however. The palate puts to rest Grenache; the tannins are supple and fine but not sandy, nor of the type I associate with Grenache. The palate feel is also not Grenache. This wine is both round and full, intense and long but not heavy. The acid remains fresh and the flavours are still mostly in the primary spectrum. If asked I would have said, based on colour and palate, a wine past the first flush of youth - perhaps 5-7 years. Depending on closure and cellaring conditions, I think this has plenty of time ahead. However, it is ready to go now and it is splendid drinking. I want to throw a CK vintage into a tasting of Cote Rotie. I think the results could be very interesting. Many thanks to my very generous friend. Although a New Zealander, he has many good qualities. (2467 views) | |
| Tasted by Dr S on 10/29/2021 & rated 96 points: In a beautiful place. Dark garnet still. High-toned nose of dark plum and raspberry, with some dried herb embroidery. Clarity and purity sum it up. Similar clean, pure flavours run the length of the refined palate. Everything in its place. Still fresh and long. This is on a long plateau, for at least another 10 years, but is superb drinking now. It owes as much to Burgundy as it does Cote Rotie. A close friend, who’s a hard core (neo) Burgundyphile, said it reminded him of ‘very good Chambertin’. An apt parallel. (1348 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 8/5/2021 & rated 94 points: Sour cherries. Full fleshy fruit. Very clonakilla. Really good. Drink soon. (1847 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 6/14/2021 & rated 95 points: Medium bodied. Sour cherries and tart to start with. Long finish - no peppery notes to speak of. Plenty to go. (2034 views) | |
| Tasted by Dr S on 1/1/2021 & rated 97 points: In stunning form (and a perfect way to say adieu to a more imperfect year than usual). Agree it looked even better on night two. Good colour still with bricking starting to show. Close your eyes and the nose could be top class Cote Rotie. Lifted notes, hung meat/charcuterie, exotic spices, and, for the first time with the 08, a CR dark herb streak that I associate with the original Cka vineyards (before the T&L block became part of the mix, from Tim the winemaker and his amazing wife Lara’s own block next door). The palate is beautifully poised, everything so well proportioned. Both SV components melded, red cherry and dark berries, savoury tannin resolved - lovely smooth texture. Great line and structure. Further proof that the SVs come into their stride at the 12 year mark. In March 2019, the 08 SV looked a little hot, reflecting the year. Tasted twice in 2020, it looks to have entered its maturing drinking window, richer, more complex, no heat. Lovely now but miles ahead (PS the 1994, the third ‘prototype’ SV with Pinot, tasted two weeks before Xmas was alluring and alive, another 10 if not 20 years left). Life is good. (2123 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 11/14/2020 & rated 93 points: Dry and tannic. Leave for a while longer. (1994 views) | |
| Tasted by Bromie on 11/1/2020 & rated 92 points: Little bricking, sweet brambles on the nose, some secondary flavours. Better the second day so would maybe benefit from decanting? (1931 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 8/29/2020 & rated 93 points: Vibrant cool climate Shiraz. Drinking well. Still seems young (1820 views) | |
| Tasted by deverett on 8/21/2020 & rated 95 points: Fantastic edition of this wonderful wine, beautifully aged, still highly fragrant and spicy, fruit is elegant yet deeply rich and long. Loved it. (1817 views) | |
| Tasted by brisbane piefan on 8/20/2020 & rated 97 points: Beautiful wine. Highly perfumed nose, medium bodied and long. Spectacular drinking now. (1519 views) | |
| Tasted by guehling on 6/9/2020: It broke when a 1962 Margaux bottle feel into the create and broke it. It smells so nice. (1738 views) | |
| Tasted by Isaac L on 5/17/2020 & rated 94 points: Wow this was singing - possibly the most amazing nose on a shiraz viognier from Clonakilla, full of lush ripe raspberries, depth of floral aromas, and a smidge of vanillin. With about an hour of air the wine was drinking wonderfully, lush and soft on the palate, almost coaxing you to embrace it. Almost a complete Clonakilla sv profile, but didn't detect much white pepper from this. Practically impossible to find back vintages outside of Australia, though on this showing I will certainly be keeping a lookout for more bottles! Drinking at peak with at least 5 good years ahead of it. (1845 views) | |
| Tasted by darren81 on 2/9/2020: 8.5/10 - Drinking quite well now but still a long way to go. Dan described it as light but with body. Sounds oxymoronic but I see where he's coming from. Almost like an iron fist in a velvet glove (1967 views) | |
| Tasted by mphatic on 1/8/2020: Screwcap, 14% alc. Still a deep red with dark crimson hue, but paler than at youth. Rather savoury aromas of raspberry, blackberry, smoked meat, tobacco, cherry, and orange peel. It requires quite a bit of coaxing to come alive. In the mouth, the wine presents a relatively subdued, yet complex, palate of sour raspberry, mixed spices, menthol, tobacco, graphite, star anise, and soap, and a gentle lift that I usually associate with viognier addition in Shiraz. Plentiful, very fine, dusty tannins have quite some grip on the palate; combined with the oak, they slightly overpower the fruit initially. With air-time, the savoury fruit comes alive. This has quite some drive and length for a light-medium bodied wine. Opinion: Quite a brambly, earthy, savoury red that builds depth and power as it breathes and warms up to room temperature. The aromas and flavours are relatively discreet and monotone at first, before slowly unravelling and putting on a real show. Don’t come here if you’re looking for a fruity mid-week pick-me-up; this demands serious contemplation. The oak and tannins stand out a bit on the finish after 5 days. Impressive wine. Drink over the next 5-8 years. (1711 views) | |
| Tasted by chbeaumont on 12/23/2019 & rated 93 points: Retains full colour, initial tell-tale Viognier, subsumed & evolves into an enticing bouquet; integrated, well balanced & shapely; drinking very well & will hold a decade. Marvellous. (1773 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 11/30/2019 & rated 94 points: Smokey. Almost sour cherries. Delicious lighter style (1688 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 9/1/2019 & rated 94 points: Real tertiary character to it now. Dry savoury. Very Rhone style. Time to drink. (1911 views) | |
| Tasted by pgb67 on 7/17/2019 & rated 97 points: Summertime 2019 - Lake House and Arlington: This was a killer – delicious in every way. Overflowing richness and depth with decadent flavors of cassis, blackberry, smoked meats. The nose evolves over the course of the night, showing tropical fruits, berries, tobacco, sandalwood. So impressed with the balance of this wine – extracted fruit flavors seamlessly stitched into a tannic core. No signs of aging (other than great integration), but don't see utility in holding it either. (1960 views) | |
| Tasted by Softie on 6/25/2019: Drank better on night +1 than first night opened. May have peaked but, given the above, still can easily handle and should be given a good decant and more than 30 minutes to breath. (1783 views) | |
| Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 3/23/2019 & rated 93 points: Medium red colour. Bright tone of red berries, some violet florals, a little dark spice. Fleshy, fully integrated, smooth, blend of red and dark berries, gently earth and dark spice characters, a little cherry-pip zest, a complete wine now, peaked. (1811 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 12/25/2018 & rated 94 points: Excellent. Dark stone fruit. Smokey spice. Drinking well. (1861 views) | |
| Tasted by rikipedia on 12/9/2018 & rated 92 points: Mid blood red to garnet edge showing some development. Perfumed bouquet of red and black fruits with red licorice, dried orange peel and dried herbs/red flowers. Medium bodied, the entry is smeared with sweet fruits: dried raspberry, red plum compote, red liquorice twists and black cherry. These flavours are enhanced with aromatic dried red flowers, nutmeg, star anise and dried blackberries. Juicy, with great flavour depth, excellent concentration, this is a serious wine that finishes long. The tannins are sweet and powdery, there is a richness in the mid-palate, but all balanced by a lively acidity that keeps the wine going forward. Alcohol at 14% is in check, and there is a grippy squeeze on the back palate. Not super complex, this is still a fabulous wine. Ends with dried blackberry and marinated red plums. (1065 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonPh on 10/5/2018 & rated 94 points: Delicious (1955 views) | |
| Tasted by Dirtfurvino on 7/13/2018 & rated 92 points: Dark ruby red. Opaque, fading slightly at the rim. Nose - Plum, apricot, chocolate. Rose, leathery. Raspberry, black tea, hay. Palate- Raspberry, silky tannins, black current, juniper berry. (2335 views) | |
| Tasted by majamke on 4/15/2018 & rated 95 points: Expansive nose of red fruits, white pepper, briar, elderflower and apricot kernel. Fine tannins draw along the long palate. Such a beautiful elegant rendition of shiraz. Fine wine indeed. (2498 views) | |
| Tasted by VinCapitan on 3/14/2018 & rated 95 points: black cherry, thyme, some raspberry coulis, peanut shells, and a sprinkle of five spice. red jube sweetness, which balances the savoury charcuterie’esque carry. Impeccable tannin flow and acid structure. A real wow wine . (2476 views) | |
| Tasted by Vaughanwallace on 12/24/2017 & rated 93 points: Drank at the end of the night. Good spice and compared very well with northern rhones but perhaps a little flabby. (2241 views) | |
| Tasted by Wozza on 7/27/2017 & rated 95 points: A secret midweek treat! And what a treat. This is Shiraz Viognier of the highest Australian order. At this 9 year point, you can salivate over a rich, darkened black cherry appearance, a deeply perfumed nose, a powerful medium weight palate, and a firery, lingering finish. It's pristine and beautifully nuanced in its delivery. It's an intellectual's wine. A wine best served with food. Expect black forest fruits, charcuterie, dried French herbs, ginger, honeycomb, cedar oak, and so much more. $85 (members price) is good bidding for this super classy, low volume cool climate red. Small wonder it does so well on the secondary market. Drink 2016-2023. A Wozza 95/100 (4.2/5.0) from me. (3319 views) | |
| Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 7/13/2017 & rated 93 points: Good deep colour. Gorgeous deep dark fruits and smooth refined spice, very ripe and fragrant. Silky, deeply flavoured, very ripe dark fruits with a lightly peppery spice. Blueberries, violets, raspberries, plums with liquorice and tar spice. Excellent intensity but super smooth. (2650 views) | |
| Tasted by CamWheeler on 12/21/2016 & rated 91 points: Grapemates Christmas Party 2016: Violets, cherry, earthy nose. The palate is earthy as well, with plenty of bright fruit flowing across it. Well balanced, this is ageing nicely and I'd like to see it again in 4-5 years. (3643 views) | |
| Tasted by azzah on 12/11/2016 & rated 93 points: A very bold and intense Clonakilla here - brim full of dark fruits, salted meats, and hints of licorice, apricot, spice and pepper. Really very concentrated for a Canberra wine, with fine tannins and just outstanding length. Almost yells for a big slab of meat. (3164 views) | |
| Tasted by chatters on 11/29/2016: Wine Ark - Clonakilla tasting with Tim Kirk (wine ark alexandria): Blackberry, pepper, confected apricot, very slight liquorice, red berry, slight leather and earthiness. Blackberry, cream, leather, black pepper vie for attention in the mouth with talc textured, grippy tannins. Long. Okay. (3231 views) | |
| Tasted by arthrovine on 9/25/2016: This was stunning last night. Decanted due to some sulfur and followed over a few hours. All kinds of meaty bloody game with mushrooms and umami. Great acids. This could be Rocks fruit from Washington. This put the 2010 Cayuse En Cerise squarely into the new world slot. (That wine was fantastic as well). It will definitely improve over next 3-5 years. (3008 views) | |
| Tasted by Redback on 9/3/2016: Some years ago I was at the Clonakilla cellar door and was speaking to Bryan Martin about the drinking windows for the SV and he mentioned that for him, they started to drink well some 8 years from vintage. With this in mind, I decided to open a bottle last night. Half hour decant with minimal sediment. Hint of apricot on the nose, a product of the viognier co-fermented with the shiraz, all estate grown. Medium bodied with fine tannins. Full savoury, earth flavours with a touch of strawberry. Almost like a pumped up pinot. An excellent wine representing great drinking now but with more interest i am sure for the future. i look forward to my next bottle in a year or two. (2716 views) | |
| Tasted by rikipedia on 8/1/2016 & rated 94 points: Terroir-istes International - Australia-Clonakilla Vertical (Klein Constantia): CT: (Blind Tasting) Blend of Shiraz and Viognier. A mid-deep ruby colour with a hint of purple on the edges and a youthful appearance. Lifted perfume (rose, spice and violet) showing fresh mint, cool menthol freshness, milk chocolate, orange segments, baked clay, black fruit, cedar wood and a touch of vanilla pod. On the palate, the wine has vibrant fresh fruit, lifted and intense, with a creamy sweet textural entry yet sinewy and a generous warming cough syrup that runs to red cherry juice, cola tonic yet with threads of bright acidity. Medium to full-bodied, the tannins have width and are sweet and power soft; there is an excellent depth to the mid-palate and plenty of length. A nicely balanced wine that offers lively acidity offset with sweet, plump, ripe fruit, rich and youthful. It is a classy wine that exhibits good concentration whilst painting a long, detailed shape towards its close. There is also some spice from the stems, and the finish adds ripe red berries, and I found tree bark notes. (467 views) | |
| Tasted by Andrew67 on 7/24/2016 & rated 93 points: Another wonderful shiraz, this time a cool climate interpretation. There is so much going for this wine, but it is still very young. This will be awesome in 3 to 5 years. (2563 views) | |
| Tasted by mphatic on 5/27/2016: Screwcap. Initially opens very reticent and reductive with a meaty aroma. Given 30+ minutes of air, an amazing perfume emerges. Blackberry, concentrated pan juices, ink, five spice, and some alcohol. Juicy mouthfeel. Fine, yet expansive tannins. Mouth filling fruit; the flavour coming in waves. Impressive wine. (1205 views) | |
| Tasted by fizz on 4/25/2016 & rated 92 points: Violets and star anise on the nose when first poured. Then settles in to its red fruit spectrum, with apricot, ginger, pepper spices. Seamless, exotic palate with a weightless intensity. Really lovely. (2853 views) | |
| Tasted by Vini Ciclismo on 2/21/2016 & rated 94 points: Deep ruby red with a black core. Lifted floral and spice fragrance. Ripe fruits and dried herbs, black spice, tar and licorice. Silky pure medium weight palate. Superb depth of flavour, long and very even. Delicious black and blue fruits, plums, blackcurrant, blueberry, violets, licorice, tar, with well integrated gamey/earthy characters. Gentle acidity and very fine tannins add to the lush silky feel. Superb structure and very fruit sweet ripe flavours. Delicious. (3050 views) | |
| Tasted by cliffkol on 10/8/2015 & rated 92 points: Bouquet of dark fruits, floral. Deep, luscious flavors of dark fruits, strawberries, oak, earth. Complex and layered. (3157 views) | |
| Tasted by darren81 on 8/16/2015: 8.5/10 - A HUGE improvement from when I last had it. It's really starting to come into its own now. This wine is red/dark fruit juicy good with some game thrown into the mix. Yet, it walks a thin line staying elegant and relatively restrained. Highly recommended. (3173 views) | |
| Tasted by fizz on 7/27/2015 & rated 93 points: Attractive aromas - red and black fruits, florals. The palate is silky, expansive, elegant. Even better on day 2. Reveals bacon fat, charcuterie, violets. (3047 views) | |
| Tasted by JonnyG on 2/13/2015: Erroneously posted a Viognier note to this wine but cannot seem to delete, so sorry! (3647 views) | |
| Tasted by fizz on 2/2/2015 & rated 91 points: Red and black berries, florals, pine forest aromas. Silky, mid-weighted palate with fine tannins. Liquorice and green fig flavours in the mix too. Opens out nicely in the glass over an hour or two. (3202 views) | |
| Tasted by Softie on 8/30/2014: See Rooman 26 August 2014 TN - spot on assessment. I loved this bottle - and five more in the cellar! Ya! (3881 views) | |
| Tasted by rooman on 8/26/2014 & rated 93 points: Wonderful fragrant wine with forest floor red berry fruit. Opened beautifully in the glass over a couple of hours. Soft tannins coat the whole mouth producing a long finish. (3445 views) | |
| Tasted by cliffkol on 7/21/2014 & rated 91 points: Spicy, floral notes. Bright, flavors of strawberries and dark fruits, earthy. Slight sweetness. Medium body. Tannins are integrating; can use a little more time to soften and mature. The spices and fruit combine into a mouth filling long finish. Very nicely done. (3722 views) | |
| Tasted by lvjohn on 5/5/2014 & rated 90 points: Pleasant enough, but not very exciting right now. (3309 views) | |
| Tasted by Pinotphile123 on 3/29/2014 & rated 93 points: Bit on the lighter side than I would have expected but great flavor/structure so still very happy with. Great wine and could develop further. (3238 views) | |
| Tasted by lvjohn on 3/11/2014 & rated 88 points: May have peaked. Didn't taste badly, but there was not much going on in the glass. Used the remainder in a beef stew. (3115 views) | |
| Tasted by bacchusnyon on 3/8/2014 & rated 91 points: This was an exceptionally nice wine. I still fine Australian offerings too "rich" and not austere enough compared to CdR, but this one was distinctive without being over the top. The viognier note added a floral touch, but was tamed by a silky smooth Syrah that was long in mouth, and with a nicely tar/earthy afternote. (2813 views) | |
| Tasted by arthrovine on 9/7/2013 & rated 93 points: Austere complex sublime shiraz viognier with great balanced meaty, gamey flavors and aromas. The softness of the finish lingers for 90+ seconds. Fantastic wine Drank alongside a 2008 Cayuse Armada. The Clonakilla was just the sophisticated beautiful women, whilst the Cayuse was more of Sheena Queen of the jungle (3920 views) | |
| Tasted by Sleepy Dave on 5/2/2013 & rated 90 points: Alcohol :: 14% Opened for 60mins. Bacon fat and eucalyptus oil that grow in the glass accompany by blueberry liquer and red floral scent. Full bodied. Opulent and slightly warmer than the 09. Drivn by sweet concentrate dark fruits but also with a touch of mineral runnin at the background. The tannin is also much softer and almost fully integrated. The length wasnt great but it becomes longer but i thiught the 09 is just superior. (4826 views) | |
| Tasted by Kevint on 4/4/2013 & rated 96 points: http://perthwine.me/2013/04/09/2008-clonakilla-shiraz-viognier-murrumbateman-nsw-14/ Recently read the “Heaven on Earth” article by Tyson Stelzer in the Dec/Jan ’13 Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine. It explained Clonakilla’s pioneering efforts in establishing a vineyard in the Canberra District and of the Shiraz Viognier blend in Australia. They have just celebrated the 20th vintage of this benchmark Australian wine. Just flicked through the article again and it made mention of Clonakilla’s “characteristic granitic tannin structure”, which intrigued me. So I dived into the cellar to grab a bottle & find out exactly what this was referring to. 1 hour in the decanter. Everything seems so seamless with this wine. Silky. Pretty violets, white pepper and Chinese five spice. Kinda reminds me of Chinese masterstock. Dark fruits wrapped around its ferrous tannin structure. Now I understand the “granitic tannin” reference. Very long, lingering after taste of strawberries, cranberries and smoky bacon fat. Zippy acid on the finish. Sublime. A wine for quiet, contemplative sipping than drinking at raucous dinner parties. Grab a bottle, find a quiet corner with a book and whittle the hours away with this. Excellent wine. If I were giving points, I’d say 96+ points. Tasted 4th April 2013 Source: $75 from winery newsletter (3811 views) | |
| Tasted by Kevint on 4/4/2013 & rated 96 points: http://perthwine.me/2013/04/09/2008-clonakilla-shiraz-viognier-murrumbateman-nsw-14/ Recently read the “Heaven on Earth” article by Tyson Stelzer in the Dec/Jan ’13 Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine. It explained Clonakilla’s pioneering efforts in establishing a vineyard in the Canberra District and of the Shiraz Viognier blend in Australia. They have just celebrated the 20th vintage of this benchmark Australian wine. Just flicked through the article again and it made mention of Clonakilla’s “characteristic granitic tannin structure”, which intrigued me. So I dived into the cellar to grab a bottle & find out exactly what this was referring to. 1 hour in the decanter. Everything seems so seamless with this wine. Silky. Pretty violets, white pepper and Chinese five spice. Kinda reminds me of Chinese masterstock. Dark fruits wrapped around its ferrous tannin structure. Now I understand the “granitic tannin” reference. Very long, lingering after taste of strawberries, cranberries and smoky bacon fat. Zippy acid on the finish. Sublime. A wine for quiet contemplative sipping than drinking at raucous dinner parties. Grab a bottle, find a quiet corner with a book and whittle the hours away with this. Excellent wine. If I were giving points, I’d say 96+ points. (3912 views) | |
| Tasted by RandyC on 3/16/2013 & rated 93 points: A good wine with muted tannins and excellent mouth feel. Real approachable and with good structure. Missing some of the fruit that would make this a real powerhouse wine. Could age for close to a decade, but doesn't need it. (3636 views) | |
| Tasted by Pinotphile123 on 10/13/2012 & rated 92 points: This wine is just a pup and needs plenty more cellar ageing. (3940 views) | |
| Tasted by TiggerK on 9/11/2011 & rated 90 points: Still way too young, needs a big decant. Once it opens up, the fruit is great, but I say keep em in the cellar for now. (5016 views) | |
| Tasted by pcwoz on 5/15/2011 & rated 93 points: Very good indeed. White pepper, floral (violets), cherry, tea and well balanced. Decanted a hour or so. I think it needs this. A trifle young I think. Pretty powerful, but not over the top. Miles away from S Aust Shiraz. Much closer in style to N Rhone, but perhaps a little heavier. Still a bit fruit driven and expect the complexity to come with more bottle age. Just great. (5239 views) | |
| Tasted by darren81 on 4/21/2011: 7.5/10 - Far too young to judge properly at this stage. Black and red berries with white pepper and a nice floral component. Tannins are slightly grainy and pretty heavy at this stage. The alcohol is distracting and quite disappointing in what would otherwise have been a decent wine. (5209 views) | |
| Tasted by docwines on 4/20/2011 & rated 97 points: Rhone style classic (5015 views) | |
| Tasted by Caudalie on 11/7/2010: Bien, mais s'est fait détruire dans une dégustation à l'aveugle de syrah\shiraz. Avait un profil davantage sur le fruit que tous les vins du rhône que les autres ont amené.. (4991 views) | |
| Tasted by Bearbus on 10/28/2010: lovely nose of charcouterie!, white pepper, plum, maybe blackb, some garrigue, fairly Rhone-like and yet almost Pinot Noir like; well structured, tannins that straddle the fence between powder and silk, good acidity, acidity and tannins throughout, 14% but surprisingly light on the palate - med-full bodied, flavs of pepper, fruit and a lot of sweet vanillary oak, it's good quality oak but it overwhelms a bit after some air - it's also a bit sweet on the palate. A very refined, elegant, well crafted version of the rich fruited oaky style with restraint and great balance and some interest with it's Rhone-like nose (even if it seems to become dominated by oak after a while). Perhaps just not my style, but I really wonder how it will age (1288 views) | |
| Tasted by chatters on 9/8/2010: Voyager Estate Masterclass 2010 (North Sydney Cellars): Nose: perfume & red and black fruit Mouth: spice, black fruit and apricot, medium tannin, long finish. Oddly enough a little fruity for me and, perhaps, a touch to obvious. (5592 views) | |
| Tasted by Umay Ceviker on 3/6/2010 & rated 94 points: Ruby colour with a soft and elegant nose. Red and black berries, floral notes of violet, tea and sweet spices. More of a Rhone style with peppery notes as well. More in the Old World style this ccol climate Shiraz is soft and restrained on the palate with a good overall balance and fine length of finish. (5280 views) | |
| Tasted by AndrewJ on 2/2/2010 & rated 96 points: Enjoyable cool climate shiraz, but as is my preference for such shiraz needs some age in order to be great. Revisit in 4 years, drink at 6-15+ from vintage. 96 (5752 views) | |
| Tasted by z17813 on 11/14/2009 & rated 97 points: Highly fragrant, Spicy bouquet, perfect balance between poise and power, really shouldn't be opened for at least another decade although sublime now. This wine is easily one of Clonakilla's best, from one of Australia's most exciting wineries. Beats anything out of the Northern Rhone at less than 10 times the price. (6122 views) | |
| Tasted by graemeg on 11/2/2009: NobleRottersSydney - Shiraz-Viognier (Alio's, Surry Hills): [screwcap, 14%, $80] {Ron} Youthful nose of pepper, spice, cloves & cinnamon. Very young and imbued with potential. Viognier seems noticeable on nose but not intrusive, if you know what I mean. This faint exoticism on the nose follows onto the palate, with spicy red fruits, tensely wound fine powdery tannins, and a silky, velvety mouthfeel that remains dry. Lovely line of weight stretching the distance of the palate; medium-full bodied, with a long finish. Youthful yet drinkable, although it’s a pity to see such potential wasted, especially as it feels like it will bloom quite generously with some age (back label recommends 5-10 years, which is short but at least candid). Really grand wine, and the perfect riposte to those who find this varietal blend too sickly and structureless in local guise. (6448 views) | |
| Tasted by chatters on 10/1/2009 & rated 80 points: Wine-Ark Cellar Club Tasting 9 - October 2009. Clonakilla, Yering Station, Olivier Taringa (Roof Terrace Australian Museum): Nose: perfumed, fruit then, very oddly, surgical spirit Mouth: Not much of anything other than grippy stalk tannin. Not very impressive, especially at this price (AUD 75 - rating 82 and adjusted down). Clonakilla knocked out a reasonably good Shiraz Viognier back in 05 that got big plaudits but it feels like they are resting on their laurels a bit (that's just my opinion I hasten to add!) (6377 views) | |
| Tasted by CamWheeler on 8/31/2009 & rated 92 points: Kirsch, asian spices and red berries. Palate is richly fruited but is well balanced and drinks very silkily. Really lifted with more time in the glass. Let it rest in the bottle for now. (2316 views) |
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ClonakillaProducer website2008 Clonakilla Shiraz ViognierPublic wine reviews* Wino Sapien review Article from wineanorak.com: http://www.wineanorak.com/australia/clonakilla_shiraz_viognier_vertical_tasting.htm Clonakilla has built its reputation for making brilliant Shiraz with a touch of Viognier from the relatively cool climate region of Canberra District. The winery was established in the 1970s by CSIRO scientist Dr John Kirk, and his son Tim took over operations in 1996, after completing a degree in Theology and teaching religious education for a few years. Tim Kirk cites Côte Rôtie, the northern Rhône appellation, as the inspiration for the Shiraz Viognier, which was first made in 1992. In late 1992/early 1992 Tim had toured the Rhône, Burgundy and Bordeaux to expand his winemaking horizons. He visited Marcel Guigal and the highlight for him was tasting Guigal’s Syrah/Viognier out of barrel. ‘Here were Côte Rôties that had an ethereal dimension,’ he recalls. ‘A soaring, heady perfume that was more red fruit than black.’ Australian wines had robust tannins, but these French Syrah/Viognier blends had finer, more succulent tannins. ‘I was smitten by these wines,’ says Tim, describing it as a ‘revelatory moment’. John Kirk had first planted Viognier in 1986 to give Clonakilla a point of difference. ‘It was very hard to establish,’ says Tim. ‘These were weedy sticks, and it took years.’ When Tim got back he suggested putting the Clonakilla Shiraz and Viognier together. ‘Dad said “go ahead”’, he recalls. So the 1992 Clonakilla Shiraz had ‘1% Viognier’ on the label. ‘I’ll wager that’s the first time these names ever appeared together on a wine label,’ reckons Tim. Now Shiraz Viognier is such a popular category that Australian wine shows have a class for it. [The rules are that you can only use the two names together when there is at least 5% Viognier in the blend, which is slightly problematic because 5% can be too much, resulting in some wines with a big apricot character on the nose.] Tim reckons that the addition of a little Viognier has a subtle, mesmerising effect on the palate. ‘It extends the thing in every direction. If it is done well you shouldn’t really notice it.’ Canberra District is at altitude (600 metres), with chiefly granitic soils. At most, it makes wines that are medium bodied; that are more about beauty, elegance and structure than sheer power. ‘I have always loved great Burgundy,’ says Tim. He has 2.5 rows of Pinot Noir and makes it every year. ‘It is quite good, but that isn’t good enough: I’d love to make great Pinot Noir.’ He describes his Shiraz Viognier as a ‘Shiraz for Pinot lovers.’ His winemaking is simple. Whole bunches are put into 2 ton fermenters, only part full. Some Viognier is typically crushed and destemmed and put on this, and then some Shiraz is destemmed and put on top. The fermenters are plunged three times a day and a jet of air is given each day. The whole bunches are really interesting, because some of the grapes stay attached and don’t burst (perhaps 20%), but instead begin fermentation from inside. If you take these whole berries out part way through fermentation, their pulp is coloured red, so they are extracting colour from the inside. They are also still a bit sweet; they have fermented about half the sugar from the inside by time of pressing. On pressing, these berries release sugar, which acts to prolong fermentation. Clonakilla Shiraz ViognierTOP VINTAGES2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1994. Bottled exclusively under screwcap since the 2007 vintage. complexity, dimension, natural balance and completeness. Doctor John Kirk planted a vineyard at Murrumbateman near Canberra in 1971. Kirk also planted a small plot of viognier in the mid 1980s, and the Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier came about in 1992 when Kirk’s fourth son, Tim Kirk, co-fermented the viognier fruit with shiraz. He also included a tiny amount of pinot noir and mataro in the early trial blend. The fruit is now sourced from the best shiraz and viogner parcels of the Murrumbateman Vineyard. Located on a gentle fold of the cool southern tablelands at 600 metres above sea level, the soils are granitic, with sandy brown and red loams over friable clay. THE WINEMAKING Traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques are applied to showcase the fruit flavours. Post vinification the wine is matured in new (33%) and seasoned French oak for around one year. THE WINE This medium to full-bodied style is highly aromatic and typified by fresh ginger, white pepper, apricot and black cherry aromas, underlying savoury French oak and fine, slinky, dry tannins. The style develops more complexity and depth with age. Shiraz BlendViognierAustraliaWine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)New South Walesd we’reSouthern New South WalesI |