| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.9 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 38 notes) - hiding notes with no text |
| | Tasted by Saint George 13 on 4/25/2024 & rated 93 points: Rich beautiful nose (81 views) |
| | Tasted by Zweder on 12/19/2023 & rated 93 points: Beautiful and complex bouquet with sweet spices, dark berries, some rustic flavors and white pepper and beautifully dosed oak. On the palate cedar, minerals and dark berries. Good acidity and round tannin with still a good bite. Fantastic and beautiful, complex wine in the beginning of its maturity stage. (1302 views) |
| | Tasted by brodien on 6/27/2022: Poured this blind to the better half who thought (a young) either Australian Shiraz or Bordeaux.
For me the real winner was the smell: lifting floral aromas, a bit of fairy floss & that clonakilla red-berry-goodness. I expected a bit more on the palate which was just a bit flat (rather than lively). Retains the mouth filling meaty-ness / boldness it had as a young wine. On the finish the red fruits really come through on the palate - raspberry / boysenberry etc.
Not a ‘wow’ wine in comparison to the heights Clonakilla can reach but complete enough & a serviceable junior brother to the Grand Vin.
Thinned out a bit on the second day. Will probably peak in about five years, unfortunately this was my last bottle.
92/93 ish. (1897 views) |
| | Tasted by ephorn on 1/17/2022 & rated 95 points: Classic syrah nose of red meat juice, savory and yeasty nuance. Great balance, mid palate. Acidity is medium plus but the fruit can handle it. This was decanted for 2 hrs. Drinking great now but could develop further with bottle age. (2266 views) |
| | Tasted by Dr S on 1/16/2022 & rated 93 points: From a half bottle.
A fave from the get go. Ravishing now, with time ahead (if you’re a cool climate/Rhone Shiraz nerd, as yee should be).
Exotic spices galore on the nose. Cracked pepper (green or pink - take your pick), cumin, alpine gum (who can say?!), leaf litter even, standard charcuterie, raspberries and dark plums stand in attendance at the wings, biding their time, knowing their turn will come.
The palate’s more fused. Raspberry, cherry and a parade of spices march past in a fresh, bouncy palate. The acid’s still tooting it’s trumpet but that helps keep it all fresh and food friendly, and time will see it retreat discreetly into the background. Delicious now, with a tasty gamey tone, but another five years will see it all come together. (2210 views) |
| | Tasted by -Tim- on 11/14/2021 & rated 93 points: Bought 5 bottles in 2018.
2019 I wrote: (90++ p)
"Interesting mix of Aussie Shiraz and French CdR characteristics. Dark berries, pepper, herbs, oak; huge potential. However, the acidity was somewhat too harsh, I guess it will wear off during cellaring."
2020 I wrote: (92p)
"Now, more than 1 year later and after 2h decanting, I like it better. Less acidity, which is now also better integrated. Beautiful integrated palate of black cherries, spices and oak."
Now in 2021: (93p)
Developed nicely and it might even further improve with age. Much more CdR than Aussie Shiraz this time. Oak notes felt more subtle. (2314 views) |
| | Tasted by Raki on 7/16/2021 & rated 92 points: A class act from clonakilla, especially considering it’s their mid range offering. It relies on finesse rather than power. Probably in a bit of no mans land at this stage of development to be honest, I would hold a bit longer to see how it goes. Still, a most enjoyable wine (2506 views) |
| | Tasted by Sirknip on 5/17/2021 & rated 97 points: After 6 years still stunning dark fruit flavors with more length and softer aftertaste. Could last a few more years but perfect drinking now. One of the best value Shiraz's in Australia. (2386 views) |
| | Tasted by richard.presser on 5/10/2021: Deep red.
Spicey, ripe shiraz. Shows the "tea leaf" area character.
Palate is distracted/dominated by the same flavour character I identified in Doug Neal's new Alta Terra wines that hail from Mururmbateman. I struggle to describe it. Perhaps it is the tannins are more like black tea tannins, combined with overripe fruit. Does it get too hot there? I discussed this with Dough Neal, who observed it's probably no hotter than Giaconda at Beechworth.
I cannot say what it is, but I identified this 25 years ago and I bought two bottles of the Clonakilla 4 years ago, given the rave reviews of the year, to revisit my assessment, and Alta Terra out of respect for Doug. My modern assessment is the same.
So, Jeremy, if you read this, I stick with what you pilloried me for in your first words ever spoken to me. Based on these two examples, it's an area character and I simply don't like it and I will return to my 25yo avoidance of wines from the Canberra region. Foe perspective, I have drunk shiraz from most if not all areas where it is grown in Australia, NZ and the Northern Rhone and I am very happy to have a great many of them in my cellar. And no others have this character. (2252 views) |
| | Tasted by Roughl on 12/13/2020 & rated 93 points: Wonderful bottle that keeps evolving after opening. Opens really cool climate, but so perfumed. An expensive male perfume this is, with tons of herbal and sandalwood tones. Intensity without weight. Fleshes out and potentially even better tasting the next day (kept at 12c overnight). A real beauty and stand out value around 33 EUR. (2310 views) |
| | Tasted by -Tim- on 11/9/2020 & rated 92 points: In 2019 I wrote:
"Interesting mix of Aussie Shiraz and French CdR characteristics. Dark berries, pepper, herbs, oak; huge potential. However, the acidity was somewhat too harsh, I guess it will wear off during cellaring."
Now, more than 1 year later and after 2h decanting, I like it better. Less acidity, which is now also better integrated. Beautiful integrated palate of black cherries, spices and oak.
Wine Front: 95p (2245 views) |
| | Tasted by jmcmchi on 2/28/2020 & rated 91 points: Soft juicy acidity, nice balance of fruit and tar coming through on finish (2716 views) |
| | Tasted by Matt@5453 on 2/1/2020 & rated 94 points: Beautiful wine. Medium bodied with impeccable palate weight. Loving the layers of spice and pepper tones, dark fruits and a hint of raspberry tartness. There is a fair bit of acidity which time should no doubt resolve, but overall a delicious wine with a long lingering finish. Sit tight for another 5-10 years. Deserves a long decant of 2-3 hours if drinking now. (2615 views) |
| | Tasted by -Tim- on 9/12/2019 & rated 90 points: Bought 5 bottles last year.
2.5h decant, probably too short as the wine improved during the evening.
Interesting mix of Aussie Shiraz and French CdR characteristics. Dark berries, pepper, herbs, oak; huge potential. However, the acidity was somewhat too harsh, I guess it will wear off during cellaring.
Therefore: 90++ points (3167 views) |
| | Tasted by bowesmana on 6/1/2019 & rated 94 points: Having had a blind tasting of the 2017 and a fine Rhone wine, where half the group thought this was the Rhone, I decided to taste the 2015. Opened for 3 hours and decanted for an hour of that. What a beautiful wine. Spice and such a long finish. (3190 views) |
| | Tasted by maxima on 2/26/2019 & rated 90 points: Très beau Shiraz, assez velouté et moyennement corsé.
Le vin semble assez bien équilibré, tout est en symbiose,
c'est assez long mais tout en rafinement, bien. (4698 views) |
| | Tasted by thebatcavewines on 1/2/2019 & rated 95 points: Breathed for 2 hours. Such a good wine already. Lovely fruit coming through with supple tannin's & a hint & apple. I can see this wine developing into one of the best wines you'll ever have for under $50. (3881 views) |
| | Tasted by deverett on 8/12/2018 & rated 94 points: Absolutely cracking shiraz here from Clonakilla. Palate is flooded with spice, pepper, juicy blackberries and fine oak. Amazing length, depth and texture with smooth melting tannins rounding it out beautifully. Best O'Riada yet. (4826 views) |
| | Tasted by Dom K on 4/7/2018 & rated 94 points: Great value Shiraz. Not your typical Aussie Shiraz- this one is medium bodied, and almost weightless as it dances around the tongue. Raspberry and spice. Very pleasant. (4581 views) |
| | Tasted by AnonymousCoward on 11/26/2017 & rated 90 points: Expressive nose: dark cherry, raspberry, strawberry, floral flavours, herbal notes and some struck match in the background. The palate has smooth tannins, with a great mouthfeel, leading to a fruit dominant finish. Quick young and will develop (4497 views) |
| | Tasted by Nicthebuilder on 11/13/2017 & rated 93 points: what a great wine
spicey, herby, meaty all entwined with delicious dark berries and fleshy dark fruits.
would think this will improve over the next few years as all those flavours meld together (4233 views) |
| | Tasted by DanielJH on 11/1/2017 & rated 95 points: Stunning wine. A glorious example of cool climate shiraz. Raspberries, some plums, hints of boysenberry, pepper, herbs and spice notes. Dark ruby red in colour, juicy with solid grippy tannin and a long finish. Will cellar for 10 years or more, but really opens up now with a long decant. (4239 views) |
| | Tasted by Mic Mac on 8/11/2017: Very good but was expecting more from this producer in this vintage. (3699 views) |
| | Tasted by chatters on 7/21/2017: Wine-Ark boys on tour 2017 - Day 1 (Canberra Districts and Beechworth): Feels riper than the hilltops on this occasion; blackberry, cream, spice and slight vanilla. Pepper and spice are a bit more dominant on the palate. Hmm. Not for me. (3491 views) |
| | Tasted by Parko82 on 5/22/2017 & rated 93 points: PnP, took an hour or 2 to open up..
Glossy velvety dark red with red hue.
Delicious black and red cherry fruit encased with meaty rich white pepper.. There's also spicey cloves with cedar oak, floral violets and a slight bit of stalk bite..
The balance is first class.. Really enjoying Australian cool climate Rhone type shiraz/syrah at the moment.. (2648 views) |
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