Red Wine Claymore Dark Side of the Moon Shiraz 2019. This big and beautiful cool climate Shiraz punches high above its price tag thanks to top quality fruit, razor sharp winemaking talent, and the Clare Valley’s superb terroir. Fruit is carefully selected from the estate’s Watervale and Penwortham vineyards which are dry farmed, producing intense, concentrated fruit with a punchy flavour profile. The young wine matures in a combination of French and American oak barrels, adding extra complexity and enticing toasty and spiced notes. Luscious blueberry, dark cherry and plum immediately burst out of the glass while on the palate there are deeper notes of cassis, blackberry and crushed wild berries. There’s a generous full body, firm tannins, and a long, intense finish seasoned with graphite, white pepper and winter spice. Claymore Wines is a quirky boutique winery which was founded in 1997 by Anura Nitchingham, a medical professional looking for a retirement project. The winery quickly blossomed into a thriving business, and a new career for Anura, with five premium vineyards located on some of the Clare Valley’s best terroir. Each site has been specifically chosen for its suitability for the winery’s core varieties, Shiraz, Riesling, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.
2019
Red Wine Claymore Dark Side of the Moon Shiraz 2019
Red Wine Cline Farmhouse 2019. The Cline family have a well-earned reputation for making some of California’s most sustainable and environmentally-friendly wines thanks to their pioneering efforts on their 350 acre Sonoma estate. On the property are over 2000 sheep and goats who help to naturally control weeds in the vineyards as well as a comprehensive solar panel system which powers the entire winery. Their Farmhouse series highlights the Cline family’s desire to create pure, natural and chemical-free wines made from the healthiest vines possible. They use cover crops, compost and crushed volcanic rock and oyster shells in the vineyards to maintain soil health and give the vines everything they need to thrive. Once in the vineyard the grapes are vinified with minimal intervention, with winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos using only a little oak to showcase the intrinsic beauty of the varieties. This cuvee is composed of classic California red varieties like Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Carignane, Mourvedre and Petite Sirah. The result is a luscious, fruit-forward red that’s bursting with ripe cassis, dark cherry, and hints of mint and woodsmoke on the finish. A great easy-going wine to drink on its own with friends or to enjoy with pizza, pasta or a sharing platter of charcuterie and cheeses.
2019
Red Wine Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2019. It can benefit from decanting. Clonakilla is a family owned winery located in the Canberra district and led by Tim Kirk. Considered a true icon of the Australian wine scene, it has been a major player in the wine revolution in the cold climate regions of Australia from the very beginning. The winery was founded in 1971 by Tim’s grandfather, Dr. John Kirk who planted the Clonakilla vineyard in Murrumbateman, 40 kilometers north of Canberra. Tim Kirk, after his travels and tastings in the Rhône Valley, took the reins of the company in the 90s. Inspired by the wines of the Côte-Rôtie, he began to include a small amount of Viognier in the Clonakilla Shiraz. This is the winery’s most iconic and representative wine, produced with a careful selection of the best Shiraz and Viognier grapes from the Murrumbateman vineyard, located 600 meters above sea level. The harvest is done by hand. The Shiraz grapes are co-fermented with 6% of Viognier, with a four-week stay on the skins. The wine is aged for 12 months in French oak. Shiraz Viognier Clonakilla is an intensely aromatic wine with generous aromas of ripe red berries, roses, violets, and integrated notes of spices. In the mouth, it has flavors of ripe red fruit, a medium body, excellent softness, and soft tannins. It is elegant yet powerful, with a superb texture and exceptional length. Try it with beef brisket or venison.
2019