2014 | Clonakilla | Shiraz - Viognier

The medium to full-bodied 2014 Shiraz-Viognier continues the Clonakilla tradition of terrific wines that are easy to drink on release yet can age for well over a decade.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The medium to full-bodied 2014 Shiraz-Viognier continues the Clonakilla tradition of terrific wines that are easy to drink on release yet can age for well over a decade. It reveals floral notes, peppery spice and red berries, a plump, silky texture in the mouth and a lingering finish.

• James Suckling: A deep-set nose, brooding almost; this has beef stock, high quality dark chocolate and cocoa powder notes, opening to reveal a wealth of ripe and bright summer berries, dark plums and a granite-like layer. This has impressive aromatic depth. The palate instantly captures with fine layered tannins that coat the mouth, flavors of chocolate coated black cherry, pepper, kirsch and plum liqueur roll playfully through; this is so complex, so entrancing and masterfully executed. Great wine.

Producer Information

Clonakilla is an Australian winery, located in Murrumbateman of the Canberra wine region. It was founded by John Kirk in 1971, with the inaugural vintage in 1976 the first from the entire region. Therefore, Clonakilla is best known for putting the Australian town of Canberra on the map as a wine producing region.The first plantings on the estate property were of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz and, today, also include Viognier, Pinot Noir, Semillon and Chardonnay. The flagship wine from Clonakilla is a blend of Shiraz and Viognier. The two grapes are co-fermented and the resulting wine is rich, deep and dark with notes of white pepper, black fruits and sweet white flowers. The grapes that produce this wine come from the finest plots in the Clonakilla Murrumbateman vineyards. The Murrumbateman vineyard is also well suited to Riesling, as its granite soils and cool climate ripen the grape perfectly. In 2015, the 40th vintage of Clonakilla Riesling from the Murrumbateman vineyards was released. The Canberra district, as part of the wider Southern New South Wales zone, has a relatively cool climate compared to much of the rest of Australia. Clonakilla's vineyards are divided into two sections: the elevated vineyards, which produce grapes with austerity and florality, and the vineyards on the plains, which produce fruit that is more powerful and concentrated. The diversity of these plots give Clonakilla a wide range of flavor characteristics to draw from. Founder and Irish immigrant John Kirk moved to Canberra in 1971 and purchased a farm on 16 hectares (40 acres) of land and began to plant vineyards. Shiraz was first planted in 1972. It was traditionally blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, as was the fashion in Australia at the time. However, by 1990 it was found to be performing so well in the vineyards that the winemakers decided to bottle it separately. In 1992, after John Kirk's son had visited the Rhône Valley, the winemakers at Clonakilla decided to try and co-ferment Shiraz alongside Viognier. This proved to be a virtuous endeavor as the co-fermented wine is now the flagship from the label.

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