2005 Clarendon Hills Syrah Onkaparinga

Community Tasting Notes (3) Avg Score: 88.3 points

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  9/26/2018 - Psdycp wrote: 91 Points

  2005 Clarendon Hills Syrah Tastings (5 of 6)
  
  This Onkaparinga Syrah is from the Grand Cru vineyard, similar to Brookman Syrah and Piggot Range Syrah.
  
  The profile of the nose combines the bouquet of Brookman and Piggot Range. Ripe, spicy red and blue fruits, grilled fennel, star anise with lifting eucalyptus, cedarwood and minerals. It is not too fruit forward, neither is it too minerals, strike a good balance between the two extremes. If we need to say something about its unique trait, it is the hints of dried red chilli at the back of the spicy nose. The palate echoed the nose with hot and spicy notes. The flavours slowly build from entry to a powerful and hot finish as you swirl the wine in your mouth. But it is lacking some degree of depth compared to Brookman and Piggot Range. However, the fresh and lively palate has certain elegance to prevent it from being too dense, jammy and fat. The acidity played an important role in keeping the structure fit and tight. The overall presentation is more rustic and less harmonized compared to the other Grand Cru Syrah. I wouldn’t describe it as silky and voluptuous. It is also not as showy and engaging. Suggest to decant it for 2 hours before tasting. Can keep away for another 2-3 years and see how it evolves. This, like its peers, would last for another 10 years or more.
  
  Retasted in Aug 2020, overall impression largely remained the same, only thing is there is no more dried red chilli spicy notes, a touch more ripe plums is observed instead. Still holding on strong. No change in scoring.

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  8/1/2018 - Eric gene Noack Does not like this wine: 85 Points

  Well, according to Robert Parker.
  "Roman Bratasiuk is one of planet earth's greatest winemakers"
  The one thing that Robert forgot about is his use of corks.
  Robert Parker also said drink this wine till 2030.
  But he forgot abut one thing the cork.
  Now, I hate corks, they a destroy a wine and many of us have been caught buying at auction high priced wines only to find out that they are like vinegar and need to be tipped down the sink.
  This must only be one of a few industries where you can buy something, get no guarantee, and loose your money because the product is flawed or faulty.
  This wine was just about flawed.
  
  The body was heavy, the colour was dark ,starting to get that brown tinge , this was in no way a Rhone or Bordeaux style wine, so I just wonder what Roman was thinking or where he thought this wine would end up.
  It had massive amounts of sediment and the cork was showing at about 85% not far off the top.
  At first opening the wine smelt off.
  It just had that over the hill smell of sherry or port with a little stink to match plus some alcohol in the background.
  I sat it for 4 hours in carafe.
  Came back to it.
  The smell was border line.
  In the end I took my first mouthful.
  It was jammy, devoid of tannin, grip, oak.........it was just dull but drinkeable .
  I have had better for cheaper and I am not talking about Miranda and Fletcher Reede
  This is in fact is a wine which needs to be drunk now, right now, otherwise next year your 6 bottles will be going down the sink.
  The massive amounts of sediment was really off putting, the smell left me in depression.
  In the end the saving grace was it tasted OK just OK .
  To be honest do not buy this wine at full price .
  Even at half price it'ds a risk.
  I will open another bottle next week and see if this was a once off , but somehow I don't think so.
  You need to sit this wine up right for a week ,decant carefully and throw away the last 100ML or so.
  
  Tasted again 11th August 2018
  The cork had 30% show so I can't blame the cork for what I tasted in this bottle.
  Decantered twice poured off very heavy sediment .
  tasted the same as my first tasting. nothing to add just over rated , maybe tasted ok a few years ago but now , not good enough to pay a high price.
  
  Tasted again 3rd November 2018
  Still bloody horrible sat for a day ,sifted off the sediment , just unbearable to the point I tipped half a bottle down the sink .
  It just shows to me that those buying high priced wines over 12 years old are taking a very big risk and one that I shall never take again .
  
  April 2019.
  Why do I bother it's over the hill and the cork is gone

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  11/12/2014 - Squashed grape Likes this wine: 89 Points

  The wine looks purple colored. The legs are slow. There is heavy sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry, bark and black pepper. It tastes like blackberry and forest floor. The body is medium/full. The wine has fleshy texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has high acidity.

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