Ranked #2 of 57 2011 Shiraz Viognier from Canberra District
95/100
5 Stars
Huon Hooke
Difficult wet year; small output; little whole-bunch ferment. A meaty, graphite and mineral, ironstone aroma, with a suggestion of iodine. A lighter, leaner wine: fine, taut, linear and pretty, but it lacks gravitas and extract. Low alcohol lightness on the tongue. But still, it's a remarkably lovely wine and a delicious drink right now - although it probably won't be long-lived. Tim Kirk has pulled off a miracle. A vintage for pinot lovers.
Tasted: 11/09/2012
Drink: 2012 to 2026
91 Points Robert Parker
Containing 5% co-fermented Viognier, the 2011 Shiraz/Viognier displays a pale to medium garnet-purple color and notes of red and black cherries, red currants and peppered salami with touches of rose petals and forest floor. Light to medium-bodied, it gives a good density of flavor in the mouth packed into a very fine frame of low to medium level rounded tannins and balanced acid, finishing just a little shorter than I’ve coming to expect from this label. Still a bit tight-knit and primary, consider drinking this 2014 to 2024+.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. June, 2013
95 Points James Halliday
Transparently clear purple-crimson; the perfumed bouquet of predominantly red fruits leads into a superfine palate with some darker fruit nuances; it is only on the finish and aftertaste that the quality of the wine fully expresses itself. Has gained a dimension of intensity/focus/length since first tasted in March. Drink to 2025.
-. June, 2023
95 Points Tyson Stelzer
2011 is a beautifully and exactingly crafted Clonakilla that upholds balance, persistence, longevity and harmony that transcend the challenges of the season. Great complexity and spicy intrigue begin in a bouquet singing with violets, plums, rhubarb, star anise, bay leaf, even curry powder, and an ever-present undercurrent of white pepper. A tightly packed core of black fruit brings depth to a honed palate that grips rails of taut, cool season acidity and the ultra-fine, powdery structure of firm, confident tannins. For lovers of intricacy, grace - and pepper. Drink 2021 - 2027.
Source: Tyson Stelzer.