2002 Clarendon Hills ‘Astralis’ Syrah

$529.00

Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah holds its place at the front of the contemporary ultra-fine wine movement. Combining an outstanding vineyard, meticulous winemaking and personal expression, the resulting wine is extraordinary.

Winemaker and former biochemist Roman Bratasiuk was inspired by the classic South Australian wines of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly those of Penfolds. Since purchasing the old Elysium winery at Blewitt Springs in McLaren Vale, he has pioneered the path for contemporary winemakers.

The fruit is derived from 19th-century colonial vine stock originally planted in the 1920s, sourced from Chateau Reynella. The low‑yielding, dry-grown, pre-phylloxera vines are grown in loamy, clay soils. The four-hectare Astralis Vineyard is elevated on a 45-degree slope and faces due east. Once trellised, the vines are now farmed as they grow.

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SKU: CLHAS02EC Category:

Description

99 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
The 2002 Syrah Astralis Vineyard rivals the greatest wines Roman Bratasiuk has made in his 15-year career. This compelling, black/blue-hued offering from 75-year-old Syrah vines tastes like blood of the vine. An extraordinary perfume of flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, roasted meat, new saddle leather, and earth is followed by a wine with sweet tannin, sensational concentration, full body, an unctuous texture, and a full-throttle, tannic finish. Yet it reveals unbelievable elegance and finesse. Too many Euro-centric elitists argue that Australian wines are too rich and over the top, but all of these offerings have been made by someone with great talent and vision who takes the extraordinary ripeness and purity of fruit available from these old vine vineyards and crafts them into wines that are quite European in style … just richer and denser. The 2002 Astralis is a tour de force.

Additional information

Producer

Clarendon Hills

Vintage

2002

Grape Variety

Shiraz

Region

Australia

Sub Region

McLaren Vale

Types

Red

Size

Bottle