I've always loved the French concept of ‘terroir’, that each distinct piece of landscape with its particular geology, geography and daily interaction with the microclimate in which it exists produces flavours unique to itself. 

At Clonakilla, each distinct part of the estate has its own unique character. The top half of our Block One articulates the concept beautifully. This site is angled directly to the north-east. The sun hits the slope from the moment it rises, warming the ground through the day but avoiding the direct impact of the fiercer sun of the late afternoon. The Shiraz we grow here tastes different to our other blocks, darker somehow with intense floral aromas.

For this wine, 100% whole Shiraz berries, gently destemmed, are fermented by their own natural yeasts and given a full month macerating on skins before being pressed and run into 500L puncheons for up to two years before bottling. 

2023 was the third in a series of cool ‘La Nina’ years. Cool years highlight the more elegant and savoury elements in our Shiraz: Fragrant spice perfumes are woven through with wild red berry notes and a rumour of roses.

A maximum of six bottles per customer. 

Tim Kirk