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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 42 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by gteran76 on 7/8/2023 & rated 95 points: Had it blind at Naples for the CWG.
Opened for one hour and then couple decanted for just 5 min. At first it was a bit doll and inexpressive but in just 10-15 min of extra air in the glass everything change and all the complexity and character of this great wine began to unfold…
Dark ruby to purple, great acidity and tannins, lots of dark fruits and minerals, long and pleasant finish.
It was confused by people at the table for a Cabernet Franc with Merlot from France and a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa as well. It was nice to see everyone going all over the place and unable to asort this phenomenal wine.
Well used my last bottle!! (1757 views) | | | Tasted by AlejandroAcostaPolo on 10/29/2022 & rated 98 points: Great wine, decanted for 3 hours, it will benefit with more time in the cellar. Wait untill 2027. (2453 views) | | | Tasted by gteran76 on 8/5/2022 & rated 96 points: Placed upright at 70°F for 3 days, then opened for 3 hours, double decanted for 30 minutes and then placed in the fridge for 30 min and 5 in the freezer:
Began consuming about 2 hours later. The wine is dark red/purple, long legs, very aromatic, firm tannins, restrained, well balanced and very complex. Everyone at the table guessed Cabernet from Napa and it was the WOTN for most of us.
Great selection for our CWG. I loved sharing it with good friends on my brother’s bday at Etna Rosso. (2713 views) | | | Tasted by JJYoyo on 6/4/2022 & rated 91 points: 1/2 hr air - annnnd- don’t push this too hard: some accelerated decrepitude is sneaking in. No decant necessary or helpful. Heavy taste and even mouthfeel of chocolate. To me some tell tale eucalyptus and blackberry on the nose. Mrs JJ - whose nose is superb but has no book knowledge of wine - could not sense the eucalyptus. Go with her objectivity.
More air did not improve this beast. Aromas and tastes became more muddied. I feel like this was in its prime early - and would have been joyously awesome.
This is a class wine - don’t get me wrong. I just don’t know if these wines can be kept long enough to deepen into something profound. I would say drink up - it will not be bad but it’s really on the edge now.
Score: 91. Relative to expectations: sadly - (2857 views) | | | Tasted by peter.mancell@mfg.com.au on 5/21/2022 & rated 98 points: Decanted for 90 minutes.
Huge dark fruit, great texture and complex finish.
Simply fabulous example of Aussie Shiraz. (2772 views) | | | Tasted by UFGators on 5/7/2022 & rated 95 points: This is singing. Still young and many years to go but wow. What a wine! (2115 views) | | | Tasted by snaff on 10/21/2021 & rated 93 points: Deep, dark garnet. Needs time to open up, but cedary notes blend with dark berries and herbs in the nose. Alcohol levels evident, with rich dark fruit spices, subtle herbal notes. Impressive wine, but can age for quite a few more years to hit prime IMO. (2338 views) | | | Tasted by BLam on 1/2/2021 & rated 93 points: We drank on the theme of 2010 and 2005 vintages. This wine was the last serve, it was opened in bottle for 12 hours and decanted for 3 hours to get the best serve. It was comparable to 2010 Le Pavillon as we served in the same time. (3401 views) | | | Tasted by DrZett on 12/15/2020 & rated 94 points: Lots of dark berries in the nose, some violets too. On the palate dark plum, blackberries, blueberries and soft leather and earthy notes. Medium (+) bodied with a medium (-) acidity. Nicely integrated tannins. Great concentration and depth - quite bold structure but not overdone. Very good overall balance. Long savory finish.
An amazing Shiraz which still needs a little more time to show all it has in my opinion. Right now for me “just” 94 points, far away from Lisa Perrotti-Brown’s 100 points (Wine Advocate 2014), but it definitely has more future potential. I won’t touch my other bottles for the next five years. (IG) (3007 views) | | | Tasted by gteran76 on 9/19/2020 & rated 95 points: Decanted for one hour and placed back into the bottle to consumed 2 hours later with a medium-rare Ribeye Wagyu!
Big body, bold, strong perfumes, dark notes and plenty of tannins. It was a very good pairing with the meat but I enjoyed a little better the 2008 Insignia we drank prior (without any food). Surprisly this Syrah was more fruit forward than the Insignia Cabernet...
Very good but not a 100pts IMO. (3412 views) | | | Tasted by gteran76 on 4/26/2020 & rated 96 points: After reading so many reviews and different decant times this is how I did it:
Opened for five minutes, place in the decanter for the next 30 min. Then back to the bottle for the next 2 hours (places inside the wine cellar).
The color is dark ruby almost purple, claudy, the nose is solid perfumed, big and bold body, dark, persistent notes of lether, pencil and smoke. The finish is great and fairly long.
Had it with aged filet mignon.
96+
This wine will keep on evolving for a long time.... (4146 views) | | | Tasted by Romol on 3/14/2020 & rated 94 points: Decanted 2 hours. Still seemed pretty young but with 2 hours of air it's worth to pop a bottle now. 94 pts. at the moment. (3460 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 2/25/2020 & rated 94 points: This is another disappointing vintage of Astralis. Not that the stuffing wouldn‘t be there, not that it was quite enjoyable to drink but this wine is already past it‘s peak! Insanity... The third vintage I taste which showing too old too early. Drink up, no doubt about that.
TN: Dark fruit, spices, slightly tertiary aromas of leather and tobacco with some unwanted soy sauce, mustiness, slightly milky texture and opaque color. Good freshness and round, fine tannins. Very dark and with some weight. Very good length.
Decanting: As this seems slightly over the hill, I would be very careful not to decant it too long. (3689 views) | | | Tasted by HU on 12/24/2019 & rated 96 points: Truly excellent wine! A 100 points? Perhaps not or not yet. Poured through an aerator into a decanter, drank 30 min later. Tannins still there, but not overwhelming: very nice to drink. Smoky, spicy, dense, dark-red and intense fruit. We have four more and looking forward to drinking them at a leisurely pace over the years to come. (2676 views) | | | Tasted by rafimama on 6/23/2019 & rated 94 points: Still tight. But is much more mature than it was a year ago. Delicious and jammy. (3400 views) | | | Tasted by Guzzzler on 11/17/2018 & rated 99 points: Smells lightly gamey, tight on the nose. Anis. Asian spice. Smells dark. Bacon fat. Meaty.
On the palate, just magic. Drinkable, but young. Dark and bitter fruit. Length just keeps on and on. Integrated tannins. Not drying.
Tannins arrive after about two hours in the decanter. Beautifully balanced. Tannins and fruit just coat the mouth. I am sure this has got years to go, but it is brilliant now.
I can’t help imagining a flame grilled ribeye steak while drinking this.
Better than the Zippy’s block 2005 and My Hands 2005. That’s saying something. (3930 views) | | | Tasted by BLam on 3/6/2018 & rated 91 points: We decanted for 1 hr but still too young to drink. Very rich, sweet and heavy. Great to pare the BBQ pork and grilled beef. (4928 views) | | | Tasted by seanman on 10/12/2017: Is this wine a 100? No. But it is very good and likely to be outstanding in a few more years. It has a nice structure, very elegant blend of ripe black fruits on the slightly tart spectrum which I personally like. Some toasted spice, nice medium to long finish. Bold fruit but balanced. I had a small taste or year ago and it has improved since then. It’s 14% alcohol and it’s youth runs it slightly hot. overall it is a very good wine. Are there other wines at this price point that are better? Yes. Is this a wine worth the $200 price tag? Probably. And likely to get better every time.
Parker may have lit into a few cocktails before assigning it a perfect score. As much as I respect him. But I liked. (5991 views) | | | Tasted by sonodoc on 9/16/2017 & rated 94 points: Not much to add from my last note. Very nice, but does not blow me away. (5545 views) | | | Tasted by Miceri on 3/4/2017 & rated 94 points: Deep dark red towards black; roasted coffee, chocolate, sweet licorice; smooth attack, good structure, compared to 2000 also tasted more closed and tight, quite masculine; very promising but does not seem ready yet (6441 views) | | | Tasted by Mech-E on 11/2/2016 & rated 96 points: Decanted 3 hours.
This was a superb bottle that I can see only getting better with time. Not as deep as it could/should be. Black and blue fruit on the nose and palate with structure to match the intensity of the fruit. Needs more time, but swirling gets the point across. Fine grained tannins that are very sweet. Just lovely juice. Will hold remaining bottles for years to come. (6320 views) | | | Tasted by sonodoc on 4/16/2016 & rated 94 points: I don't see the 100 points, but maybe I will with more time. Certainly a very good wine, smooth and well-balanced, with plenty of dark fruit and smooth tannins, but did not blow me away as I expected. Perhaps it was because I had preceded this wine with a Realm BTK... (5990 views) | | | Tasted by DarinC on 3/12/2016 & rated 94 points: PnP Followed over 3 hours. Intense concentration with gobs of various blue and black fruits, black tea, violets, and toasted herbs. Full-bodied with silky tannins coating the intense, long finish. Only a hint of heat peeks through. Evolved with time in the glass but it's still holding a lot back. I hope it's not going to sleep for a long time. This is a deep, complex wine with a lot of potential and offers a lot of enjoyment now. 94+ (4691 views) | | | Tasted by Fuzzy Squash on 1/23/2016 & rated 94 points: Did now have the wow factor of a 100pt wine. Decanted 5 hours and drank next day. Balanced but just normal. Maybe bottle variation. (5062 views) | | | Tasted by JerM on 3/6/2015 & rated 96 points: (tasting@ClarendonHills w Alex Bratasiuk) [vines planted 1920] Rich, dark, creamy nose, juicy clean, focused and sweet. Graphute purity, dark florals, soft spice and incense, growing sweeter with time in glass. Effortless concentration. Cool tea purity, dark violets, cherry, deep truffles, dark and seductive. Elegant florals, silky, chewy, pitch, ash. Elegant cascading finish, with menthol and olives, grilled steak and chicken essence. Focused, layered, lean, with bright acid clarity. Easily and effortlesly focused, with heaps potential - developing over the next 30-40 years! Wonderful stuff. (5375 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Clarendon Hills Producer website
CLARENDON HILLS
Inspired by the classic South Australian wines of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly Penfolds, the visionary Roman Bratasiuk, a former biochemist, bought the old Elysium winery at Blewitt Springs, near Clarendon in McLaren Vale. By chance he found the nearby 10 acre Astralis Vineyard as a source of "as good as you can get" Shiraz. The vines were first planted in 1920 with 19th century colonial vine-stock derived from Chateau Reynella. Best known for the flagship wine Astralis Syrah, Clarendon Hills also produces a portfolio of single vineyard age-worthy Grenache & Syrah wines derived from 35 to 75-year-old dry grown vines, from the Clarendon, Blewitt Springs and Kangarilla sub-regions of McLaren Vale.2010 Clarendon Hills AstralisThe 2010 Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah release offers both collectors and connoisseurs alike an opportunity to witness a legend in the making. Internationally considered a perfect wine, after receiving 100/100 by the internationally renowned wine publication, The Wine Advocate. The Astralis Syrah vineyard has been captured by legendary winemaker Roman Bratasiuk over the last 30 years and this is one of the very best releases. Roman has pushed his belief that this is one of the greatest single vineyards in the world to the n’th degree. This is an old vine, single vineyard discovered by Roman Bratasiuk in 1990 that has become consistently the highest scoring wine in McLaren Vale. Hand picked and wild yeast fermented the wine is matured in the highest quality French Oak for 18 months before being bottled at the winery by the very same team that made it. Majesty, elegance and seamless power are some of the most enduring comments on the Astralis, who’s name comes from a reference to the night sky. Astralis is defined as a celestial body and or pertaining to the stars.
Region
Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale: 10 kms N/E of McLaren Vale. 250 metres above sea level. High altitiude Blewitt Springs site above the sands. Terroir composed of sandy loam on alluvial clay pebbled with decomposed ironstone, quartz, shale and schist. Circa 750 million year old geology sprawls across the vineyard location.
Conditions
Idyllic growing conditions with above average crop levels were recorded in 2010 harvest. Bunch thinning was almost looking a certainty to realign the balance of the vines’ concentration however thick vine canopies pulled the fruit in back to line and all fruit was subsequently evenly ripened and every bunch looked exceptional upon arrival at the winery. 2010 vintage is an exceptional vintage and high quality can be seen right across the board with entry level wines and icons alike enjoying one of the best years on record. This magnificent wine is now 12 years old and offers the hedonists out there an experience they won't forget.
Winemaking
Low yielding, dry grown, pre-phylloxera vines planted in 1920 are grown in loamy, clay soils. Hand picking took place over several passes to ensure optimal ripeness of the fruit. Partial whole berry and whole bunch, wild yeast fermentation. Open vat primary with varied maceration periods All pressings returned to the barrel.
Maturation
18 months. 100% brand new, tight-grained French oak. Barrels are finally hand selected by winemaking team. Bottled onsite without fining or filtration.
Grape Variety
100% Syrah, single vineyard, old vines
Closure
Cork
Production
6000 bottles
Winemaker
Roman BratasiukClarendon Hills AstralisMajesty, elegance and seamless power are some of the most enduring comments on the Astralis, who’s name comes from a reference to the night sky. Astralis is defined as a celestial body and or pertaining to the stars. Prestigious Australian wine company Langtons ranks Astralis amongst its highest echelon, the ‘Exceptional’ category alongside the iconic Grange and Hill of Grace wines. Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah stands at the forefront of the contemporary ultra-fine wine movement. A superb vineyard, meticulous winemaking and personal expression all combine to create something out of the ordinary. Seemingly through sheer force of will, Roman Bratasiuk, a complex, visionary character, has shown a way forward for hundreds of hopeful, contemporary winemakers. Inspired by the classic South Australian wines of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly those of Penfolds, Bratasiuk, a former biochemist, bought the old Elysium winery at Blewitt Springs, near Clarendon in McLaren Vale.
By chance, he found the nearby four-hectare Astralis Vineyard was a source of Shiraz ‘as good as you can get’. The vines were originally planted in 1920 with 19th century colonial vine-stock derived from Chateau Reynella. The dry-grown, low-yielding and elevated vineyard, on a 45-degree slope, faces due east and has pebble-ridden clay topsoils over pure ironstone. The site was once trellised, but now these old vines are ‘farmed as they grow, without trellising’.
The winemaking is laissez-faire, seeking through minimum handling to preserve the intrinsic value of the vineyard’s personality. Vinification takes place in open, stainless-steel fermenters of varying size. Typically the wine will macerate on skins, post-ferment, for 14 to 16 days. It is then matured in new, 228-litre, ‘Burgundian’ pièces from Cadus for 18 months. The oak underpins the fruit, giving ‘fragrance, finesse and integration’. Astralis Syrah aims to reflect the winemaker’s idea of ‘varietal expressionism’, a non-interventionist philosophy that embraces ‘organic beauty’ and the natural character of the vintage. Bratasiuk wants to achieve ‘freshness, texture – and a style that my palate likes’.
The lyrical and beautiful Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah is a highly complex and concentrated wine with dark licorice, blackberry, mocha aromas and chamomile, earthy, bitumen, herb-garden notes. It offers a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavours with dry, slinky tannins, plenty of fruit richness and underlying savoury oak. With age the wine develops panforte, dark chocolate, cedar, spicy aromas and superb, chocolaty textures. It is generally more muscular than typical McLaren Vale Shiraz and has compelling buoyancy, energy and length of flavour.Shiraz BlendViognierAustralia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Fleurieu Fleurieu Wineries & Cellar Doors (southaustralia.com) |
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