Community Tasting Notes 17

• Dr S Likes this wine: 95 points

  June 18, 2023 - A sumptuous cool-climate classic, fully developed and ready to roll. The first Cka Syrah. Easy to forget that this came off new vines, only 7-8 years old.
  
  Brick rim, dark centre with burgundy hue.
  
  Deep charcuterie, gamey nose. Spicy, smokey sandlewood overlays plum, strawberry compote. Heady aromas to sit with in your favourite chair with a good book (perhaps ‘Spinoza’s latest’ to cite Bertie Wooster, although that did take a rum turn) or to pour for friends and other undeserving souls to show why you cellar wine.
  
  Plush palate. Texture is king. Gamey, almost a casserole and tawny port mix of savoury and aged vanillin notes. The balance among all components (tannin, fruit, wood and glycerol) is superb.
  
  At its peak and ready to drink now and over the next few years. As much as it gives me plenty of love, the year's main lesson continues to stalk me - drink your maturing wines on the rise. This looked at its grandest in 2020 when last tasted. A bottle taken home to Hawkes Bay elicited the highest accolade from my buddy Geoff (a discerning palate who's tasted 100 year old Bordeaux 1st-2nd Growths) as the best Clonakilla I'd poured him (I think we started with the 2001 or perhaps the 1998 back in 2002). The fruit retained its richness, embroidered with those Rhoney game characters. Now the tertiary elements are taking charge.
  
  But make no mistake. This is a great drink. A demonstration of the virtues of cool climate Shiraz, under the careful hand of a maker searching for the variety's 'warm heart'. And I cannot hold a Riedel burg glass half empty view. Not with 3 or 4 bottles left, and a couple of magnums too. The underserving will be in for a treat.

  1 person found this helpful Comments (4)

• chadslater Likes this wine: 95 points

  March 30, 2023 - Had at byo at P&V up against at 2009 St Joseph. This was the better of the 2. Restrained, integrated fruit. Drinking very well now.

  1 person found this helpful Comment

• JonathanP wrote: 93 points

  July 6, 2022 - Drunk over two days. In the sweet spot. Lifted black fruit with savoury earth tones, spices and pepper. Very good on day one. Great on day two, with less overt sweetness and even more integrated than day one. Relaxed and inviting. Medium body with very good length. Drink now but may even improve over the next 2-3 years.

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• fizz wrote:

  June 14, 2022 - Red fruits, pepper, spice. Harmonious, mid-weighted palate. Mild mannered tannins bring up a long finish. Drinks so well.

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• Pverd wrote: 93 points

  November 13, 2021 - Just a lovely midweight complex cool climate Shiraz, I reckon about at its peak. Lots of spice, plum and soft earthiness on nose, very complex palate following the nose with wonderful depth of fruit. Great length and balance, with a very long finish. One of the top Shiraz I have had in recen years.

  Comment

Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2006
• 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

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 0 (0%)
• In Cellars 249 (76%)
• Consumed 79 (24%)

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