Clonakilla winery (Canberra): {screwcap, 13%, A$40} Black pepper, dark cherry, dark chocolate. Very primary palate, tasting after the nose. Gentle seasoning only of fine-grained oak lifting the bright cherry flavours. Low/medium dusty tannins, medium acid. Light/medium weight, as befitting this quintessential cool-climate wine. Even, low-impact palate with a barely-medium length finish. Very subtle. Needs some time but will always be a bit ethereal.
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On tour with Tim and Phil day one (Canberra Districts and Beechworth): A little whole bunch, touch of peppercorn - pink and green, jubey brambly fruit, a little almost sweet apricot note. Lovely nose. Medium plus intensity acidity, pink and green peppercorn, brambly, talc textured silky tannins. Nose better than the palate but defo yum.
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There is a lot to like about this vintage, but I am not sure it completely eludes some of the problems of the year in this and some other parts of SE Oz.
Always representing tremendous value because you get cool climate complexity, plenty of intensity and length and that trademark Clonal Killer mouthfeel - surprisingly light in the mouth, despite there being no shortage of flavour and presence and surprisingly soft in terms of tannins, yet without a sense that the wine lacks spine. Whilst undoubtedly a 'second wine' compared to the Shiraz-Viognier and the Syrah, if this is as much as you could afford, you would get a very good look into the things that make its more storied cellar mates such stars.
Here there is peppery Shiraz, some darker fruits and good length and intensity. The hallmark CK mouthfeel is also there. These are all good things and you may feel that they comfortably make-up for some of the not so good, or even really make the not so good, not really there at all.
The not so good is ash, sileage, some cedary aspects and although the tannins are not intrusive, they seem to have a slightly bitter and green aspect to them. At times I also felt that the wine had a slightly dilute aspect to it.
I am worried that I may be becoming the tasting version of the protagonist in 'Antigonish'. Am I jumping at shadows and seeing what isn't really there with 2022 SE Oz wines, especially the reds? Try for yourself.
Many thanks to Doktor S who very generously supplied me with a whole bottle. Despite my comments about some issues with the wine, I had no trouble enjoying it over three nights and I would never object if a glass of it was poured for me. I would be nervous about cellaring.
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1/26/2024 - graemeg wrote:
Clonakilla winery (Canberra): {screwcap, 13%, A$40} Black pepper, dark cherry, dark chocolate. Very primary palate, tasting after the nose. Gentle seasoning only of fine-grained oak lifting the bright cherry flavours. Low/medium dusty tannins, medium acid. Light/medium weight, as befitting this quintessential cool-climate wine. Even, low-impact palate with a barely-medium length finish. Very subtle. Needs some time but will always be a bit ethereal.
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12/25/2023 - Avid Wino wrote: 90 Points
Dark berries, fresh and dried herbs, pepper, oak. A touch green.
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5/18/2023 - chatters wrote:
On tour with Tim and Phil day one (Canberra Districts and Beechworth): A little whole bunch, touch of peppercorn - pink and green, jubey brambly fruit, a little almost sweet apricot note. Lovely nose. Medium plus intensity acidity, pink and green peppercorn, brambly, talc textured silky tannins. Nose better than the palate but defo yum.
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5/5/2023 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 89 Points
There is a lot to like about this vintage, but I am not sure it completely eludes some of the problems of the year in this and some other parts of SE Oz.
Always representing tremendous value because you get cool climate complexity, plenty of intensity and length and that trademark Clonal Killer mouthfeel - surprisingly light in the mouth, despite there being no shortage of flavour and presence and surprisingly soft in terms of tannins, yet without a sense that the wine lacks spine. Whilst undoubtedly a 'second wine' compared to the Shiraz-Viognier and the Syrah, if this is as much as you could afford, you would get a very good look into the things that make its more storied cellar mates such stars.
Here there is peppery Shiraz, some darker fruits and good length and intensity. The hallmark CK mouthfeel is also there. These are all good things and you may feel that they comfortably make-up for some of the not so good, or even really make the not so good, not really there at all.
The not so good is ash, sileage, some cedary aspects and although the tannins are not intrusive, they seem to have a slightly bitter and green aspect to them. At times I also felt that the wine had a slightly dilute aspect to it.
I am worried that I may be becoming the tasting version of the protagonist in 'Antigonish'. Am I jumping at shadows and seeing what isn't really there with 2022 SE Oz wines, especially the reds? Try for yourself.
Many thanks to Doktor S who very generously supplied me with a whole bottle. Despite my comments about some issues with the wine, I had no trouble enjoying it over three nights and I would never object if a glass of it was poured for me. I would be nervous about cellaring.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment