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.
95 Points Campbell Mattinson
The remarkable run of Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier continues. 95% Shiraz: 5% Viognier. This release has a long life ahead. It’s so firm, so long, and has lots of meat on its bones. It’s savoury and peppery, essentially, but bursts too with black, ripe, soy-infused berries. Power, finesse, complexity and thick ribs of tannin. One thing it is not is sweet; though it compensates with abundant perfume. A roasted, nut-like character appears right there on the finish, like a glyph. Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier usually drinks well from the day of release; this one needs a little cellar time.