Community Tasting Notes 6

• Dr S Likes this wine: 92 points

  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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• fizz wrote:

  June 24, 2023 - Pepper, plum, spice. Fine and elegant. Poised. Settled. Drinking well.

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• Dr S Likes this wine: 95 points

  March 4, 2023 - Lined up beside the 2010 Syrah to test my view that the older is the better of the two cool years. That was the case in a recent shootout between the 10 and 12 SVs. This time round, the 2012 trumped.
  
  Similar bricking hues to the 2010, perhaps retaining more raspberry red. As always, a striking nose. While the leaf sticks out more than with the 2010, it’s starting to fuse into the red fruits and delicious trademark roasting dish, baking bone aromas. A bright personality.
  
  A fine-boned palate, bringing to mind Grandma’s elegant porcelain. Pure and long. Red berry, plum, fennel seeds. Just enough flesh woven onto the very fine tannin and delicate acid (more so than the charming but slightly bony 2012 SV). You could call it a Pinot lovers Syrah, although the mouthfeel differs.
  
  For mine, it’s now settled into the best version of itself. Not quite as wild or exuberant as a few years ago, but better all round. Composed. Cuts a dashing figure, the elegant courtier. Drink or hold, but I think it’s in a perfect spot now. I loved it.

  2 people found this helpful Comment

• azzah Likes this wine: 95 points

  September 9, 2022 - This far exceeded my expectations for what was not a great vintage. Spice and pepper, herbs and berries, eucalyptus. Real balance and complexity in a cool climate syrah dress that really draws you back in again and again. It’s the structure here that really sets it apart. Really complex and beautiful.

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• Dr S Likes this wine: 93 points

  February 8, 2019 - From a ‘mild’ vintage (a ‘warm-cool’ year), this boasts a highly expressive, northern Rhone nose. Hi-toned with plums, raspberry and a melange of petals, spice, dried herb and baking bones. A touch smokey too (although unlike the SV no whole bunches used). While definitely cool climate, the nose is ultra complex, quite alluring as you try to pin the swirling aromas. Florals emerge with air.
  
  Plum and red fruits - strawberry perhaps - follow on the elegant mid weight palate, still fresh with racey acidity, great food wine, good length although the fruit tapers a little. Will continue to evolve but delicious now, very fine tannin and texture. A triumph given the vintage conditions.

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Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2012
• Type Red
• Producer Clonakilla
• Varietal Syrah
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard n/a
• Country Australia
• Region New South Wales
• SubRegion Southern New South Wales
• Appellation Canberra District

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• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 358 (94%)
• Consumed 22 (6%)

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