Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Clonakilla
Label Name:
 
Shiraz Viognier
Vintage:
 
2016
Country:
 
Australia
Region:
 
Canberra District (Murrumbateman), New South Wales
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
14%
Grape(s):
 
Shiraz (approx. 94%) and Viognier (approx. 6%)
Method:
 
Shiraz co-fermented with ~5–6% Viognier, ~20–25% whole-bunch inclusion, 3–4 week maceration on skins; matured ~12 months in French oak (≈25% new).
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
3
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
5
Aroma Intensity:
 
5
Best Temperature:
 
16-18
Tasting Note:
 
Perfumed red and black fruits with violets, jasmine and white pepper; spiced plum and blackberry palate, silky fine-grained tannins, mineral-driven savoury oak and a long, piercing finish.
Food Pairing:
 
Western: roasted lamb, chargrilled steak, duck, venison, mushroom risotto. Asian: Peking duck, char siu pork, Korean BBQ, spicy Sichuan beef, miso-glazed aubergine.
Vineyard Info:
 
Founded by Dr John Kirk (1971) at Murrumbateman. Tim Kirk is winemaker; estate vineyards on granitic soils at ~600m. Clonakilla pioneered the Shiraz–Viognier style in Australia.
Awards/Ratings:
 
Halliday Wine Companion 98 pts (James Halliday); Langton's Classification: 'Exceptional' (elevated 2010); widely praised by critics (Jancis Robinson, Wall Street Journal)