11 BOTTLES AVAILABLE.
Clonakilla is a small vineyard at Murrumbateman in the Canberra region that was the first in Australia to produce wines closely modelled on those of Côte-Rôtie in the northern Rhône Valley, using viognier to contribute musky complexity and palate feel to its excellent shiraz. Tim Kirk, who assumed winemaking duties from his father and founder of the company, John Kirk, has also made a string of elegant Cabernet Merlot blends, some very stylish and musky Rieslings and, most recently, some Viogniers of staggering varietal purity and freshness. Jeremy Oliver
This wine, from some of the oldest vines in our vineyard, is a blend of the classic varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Picked in late March, the grapes were fermented warm in open fermenters and run into new and seasoned French oak barrels for 15 months before bottling. The wine shows briary, dark, dusty Cabernet fruit and plummy Merlot notes with cedary French oak in the background. It has the tannin structure and fruit intensity to age with distinction for five to ten years at least.
