2012 Clonakilla Syrah
Community Tasting Note
Dr S Likes this wine:
Sunday, January 7, 2024 - The enigma continues, or is it more a case of context and ‘ambience’?
Tasted with a lovely, softly mellow Paradise IV Dardel Shiraz to resurrect something good from the debacle of an inordinately corked last bottle of Giaconda Warner Vyd Shiraz 2002 (a pox on you stinky cork bum). The PIV was more mature and fully resolved than the Cka, more gamey too but without the darker, brighter berry characters of the latter.
The Cka was a little more green/grassy tinged than the March 2023 tasting, but also more raspberry, blackberry hints and primary notes. A sprinkling of spice and glimpses of classic Cka roasting dish aromas. A touch minty, something I hadn’t seen before but others claim to see in Cka reds (where’s the Inquisition when we need it - unsound thoughts and utterances must be disposed of post haste).
Smells and tastes only semi-mature. Still vibrant and fresh. It has the mid palate intensity and brightness on the finish to suggest another 5-10 years are needed to see it reach that soft, luminous repose that the Paradise IV is now at. There is a slight question about whether the greener herb notes will subvert the script, but I think the fruit and style will prevail.
The 2002 Shiraz Viognier, another cooler / milder year, looked grand on Xmas day at 21 years of age. Admittedly, that was from magnum under (thank heavens) a good cork. Yet it serves as a pointer for how Ckas from cooler years age with grace, their greener elements falling (or fusing) into line, the finesse in their making and basic fruit quality winning the race. As it is, I may just have a magnum or two of this tucked away, to test the theory. At the 20 year mark, of course.
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