Had this in my cellar a while. Screwcap, decanted one hour. Quite aromatic, a lot of varietal spice and regional coolness to the fruit. White pepper, blueberry, raspberry, cloves, anise, liquorice. Lovely to just stick my nose in the glass for a while. Palate has some biscuity / oaky flavours but overall feels resolved and easy to drink. Not super complex or layered but has some interest. Feels like the screwcap and careful cellaring has frozen this in time though, not much in the way of secondary characters yet.
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Mini Verticals - Tasted Blind: Raspberry, spice, violet and some blackberry. Mild palate, doesn't overdo the fruit power but still has some good weight. Seems well balanced and while it is ticking along nicely, a couple more years will be of benefit.
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Still showing rather young. Should perhaps have had a splash in the decanter. Intense, dark, mulberry fruit, lovely tannins, decent length. Just needs a little more time to come together as acid stood out a touch. Well integrated oak. Good wine.
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Lovely purple colour. Quite a subdued nose for a Clonakilla shiraz. In the mouth, blackberry and other dark fruits, some red, spices, aniseed, black pepper. Fine tannin, excellent balance. Very long. Drank this over two nights. Night two was superb, night one an echo of that but lacking Wow, so my advice is leave this alone for a few more years. Was actually quite disappointed on night one as the '09 SV is my all time favourite wine and even the '09 Hilltops is right up there. Night two restored my faith.
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Smoke, cherry and floral notes. Still has silky elements to the palate but there is more spice than I recall from last time I tried it. Developing nicely.
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Decanted for an hour. Perfumed in true Clonakilla style. Dark berries and spice. Powdery tannins, Strawberry / Cranberry on the finish. Not the typical apricot notes that viognier normally imparts. Way too young. This has a load of potential. Wait 2-3 years. 92+
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Red purple. I was very pleased with this - I have not been a huge fan of the 2008 or 2007 vintages. This was very aromatic and floral - with primarily red fruits, blackberry and spices also. There were flavours of various red fruits, blackberries, spice (cloves/pepper) and a nice meatiness. Maybe even a bit of aniseed. Quite full bodied and mouthfilling, showing the heat of the vintage I'm guessing. Suprisingly nice to drink given its young age.
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The wine is deep red to black in colour and gives the impression it will be packed with flavour and concentration. It certainly doesn't disappoint.
The nose is dense and savoury with dark fruits and a hint of aniseed. The palate is saturated with plum and blackberry fruit that is contrasted by high quality oak and subtle spice. The tannins in the mid to back palate are impressive, they frame the wine and underwrite excellent cellaring potential.
The finish is long, savoury and centers around the tannins and darker cherry fruit. Review Link - www.winereviewer.com.au (drink by 2021)
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Very drinkable, nice deep fruit but to me lacking in acid/tannin structure. After the huge hype of the SV 09, will be interesting to see what people think of this. Might not get more actually, thinking Hilltops the better bet dollar wise.
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Dark and sooty. The fruit is quite ripe but tempered by some meaty notes. Again good presence in the mouth with waves of fleshy fruit cascading around the gums, underpinned by some burly tannins.
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8/7/2020 - Milliontown wrote: 91 Points
Had this in my cellar a while. Screwcap, decanted one hour. Quite aromatic, a lot of varietal spice and regional coolness to the fruit. White pepper, blueberry, raspberry, cloves, anise, liquorice. Lovely to just stick my nose in the glass for a while. Palate has some biscuity / oaky flavours but overall feels resolved and easy to drink. Not super complex or layered but has some interest. Feels like the screwcap and careful cellaring has frozen this in time though, not much in the way of secondary characters yet.
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12/8/2018 - majamke wrote:
Rather dull, muted red fruits with little development. Could be an off bottle so I'll reserve judgement.
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2/17/2018 - brisbane piefan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking nicely. No hurry but not sure will improve much either. Minimal hints of viognier, some nice charred characteristics coming through with air.
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4/10/2015 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Mini Verticals - Tasted Blind: Raspberry, spice, violet and some blackberry. Mild palate, doesn't overdo the fruit power but still has some good weight. Seems well balanced and while it is ticking along nicely, a couple more years will be of benefit.
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5/30/2013 - bendid Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still showing rather young. Should perhaps have had a splash in the decanter. Intense, dark, mulberry fruit, lovely tannins, decent length. Just needs a little more time to come together as acid stood out a touch. Well integrated oak. Good wine.
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4/14/2013 - Avid Wino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely purple colour. Quite a subdued nose for a Clonakilla shiraz. In the mouth, blackberry and other dark fruits, some red, spices, aniseed, black pepper. Fine tannin, excellent balance. Very long. Drank this over two nights. Night two was superb, night one an echo of that but lacking Wow, so my advice is leave this alone for a few more years. Was actually quite disappointed on night one as the '09 SV is my all time favourite wine and even the '09 Hilltops is right up there. Night two restored my faith.
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2/28/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Smoke, cherry and floral notes. Still has silky elements to the palate but there is more spice than I recall from last time I tried it. Developing nicely.
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9/14/2012 - majamke wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for an hour. Perfumed in true Clonakilla style. Dark berries and spice. Powdery tannins, Strawberry / Cranberry on the finish. Not the typical apricot notes that viognier normally imparts. Way too young. This has a load of potential. Wait 2-3 years. 92+
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7/23/2012 - azzah wrote: 92 Points
Red purple. I was very pleased with this - I have not been a huge fan of the 2008 or 2007 vintages. This was very aromatic and floral - with primarily red fruits, blackberry and spices also. There were flavours of various red fruits, blackberries, spice (cloves/pepper) and a nice meatiness. Maybe even a bit of aniseed. Quite full bodied and mouthfilling, showing the heat of the vintage I'm guessing. Suprisingly nice to drink given its young age.
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3/18/2011 - Patrick - winereviewer.com.au wrote: 95 Points
The wine is deep red to black in colour and gives the impression it will be packed with flavour and concentration. It certainly doesn't disappoint.
The nose is dense and savoury with dark fruits and a hint of aniseed. The palate is saturated with plum and blackberry fruit that is contrasted by high quality oak and subtle spice. The tannins in the mid to back palate are impressive, they frame the wine and underwrite excellent cellaring potential.
The finish is long, savoury and centers around the tannins and darker cherry fruit.
Review Link - www.winereviewer.com.au (drink by 2021)
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11/18/2010 - CamWheeler wrote: 91 Points
Light floral lift with strawberry and cherries. Silky palate with some good weight behind it. Delicious.
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10/24/2010 - TiggerK wrote: 89 Points
Very drinkable, nice deep fruit but to me lacking in acid/tannin structure. After the huge hype of the SV 09, will be interesting to see what people think of this. Might not get more actually, thinking Hilltops the better bet dollar wise.
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9/15/2010 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Dark and sooty. The fruit is quite ripe but tempered by some meaty notes. Again good presence in the mouth with waves of fleshy fruit cascading around the gums, underpinned by some burly tannins.
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