Doctor John Kirk planted a vineyard at Murrumbateman near Canberra in 1971. Kirk also planted a small plot of viognier in the mid 1980s, and the Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier came about in 1992 when Kirk’s fourth son, Tim Kirk, co-fermented the viognier fruit with shiraz. He also included a tiny amount of pinot noir and mataro in the early trial blend.
The inventive and original Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier takes Australian shiraz in a completely new direction. A combination of a mature vineyard site, faith in nature and near-religious winemaking philosophies has resulted in a distinctive wine of extraordinary aromatic complexity, dimension, natural balance and completeness.
96 Points James Halliday
Exceptionally powerful, rich and concentrated; a full-bodied, lush, velvety texture and mouthfeel; black fruits and spice seem to subdue the viognier lift, but this is an exception tasted just prior to bottling. Screwcap.