Clarendon Hills is the living vision of one of the world's greatest Shiraz winemakers, Roman Bratasiuk. The dream was realised in 1990 and is now home to some of the most outstanding and hard to get single vineyard wines in Australia. The Astralis is the flagship wine in the Clarendon Hills portfolio, and while this vineyard is not treated any differently to the others, it garners the most worldwide attention due to its incredible expression and timeless elegance. From an Easterly aspect and planted on a 45 degree ascending slope, Australis has phenomenal varietal length and will repay the patient cellarer for more than 15 years.
A luxurious combination of soft ripe autumn berries with fresh cool country cherries, this wine exemplifies the harmony that can be achieved by blending these two noble grapes together. The wine has an unctuous elegance that caresses the palate with a structure that is exceeded only in its width by its length. Still a youthful creature, this wine will age gracefully for decades to come. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (57%) and Shiraz (43%). Sourced from 1971 (100%) planted on the Estate. All batches were fermented separately and blended prior to bottling. These batches of Cabernet and Shiraz represent the pinnacle wines from the Estate, our vision is to produce a seamless integration of the best of both varieties, with great aging potential. The winemaking follow suit from the previous wines, this wine is about the best blocks of the vintage and best barrels being carefully blended. Rack and returned three times during the maturation of 15 months 100% new oak, Shiraz Burgundy coopered French oak, Cabernet Bordeaux coopered French oak Alan Hickinbotham established the vineyard bearing his name in 1971 when he planted dry- grown cabernet sauvignon and shiraz in contoured rows on the sloping site. He was a very successful builder, this his first venture into wine, but his father, Alan Robb Hickinbotham, had a long and distinguished career, co-founding the oenology diploma at Roseworthy in 36. In 2012 Clarendon, and the stately sandstone house on the property, was purchased by Jackson Family Wines; it is run as a separate business from Yangarra Estate Vineyard, with different winemaking teams and wines. The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard covers a steep cut of country from the ridgetops above the village of Clarendon to the Onkaparinga River in the gorge below. Since its establishment in 1971, the Hickinbotham vineyard has become a part of Australias wine heritage, supplying fruit to produce many of Australias greatest wines. The Clarendon Vineyard has sold select parcels to Penfolds for Grange and to Hardys for their equivalent white flagship, the Eileen Hardy Chardonnay.
Hickinbotham The Peake Cabernet Shiraz 3000ml 2014
Gravel soils make up the primary soil type at Château l'Evangile which is consistent with most of Bordeaux's right bank region of Pomerol. Merlot is the variety of choice in the blend with Cabernet Sauvignon to create a wine full of plushness, vibrant aromatics and smooth, lingering finish. The 2009 vintage was wonderfully kind of all of Bordeaux and Pomerol was no exception with the l'Evangile producing a wine of plushness and warmth as well as one of concentration and power. A classic Pomerol.
Château Certan-de-May is a wonderul, quaint vineyard with only 5 hectares under vine that produce a rich, smooth and fleshy Merlot dominated wine. Located right in the heart of the Pomerol appellation on Bordeaux's right bank, this vineyard enjoys the same soil as it's neighbour, the acclaimed Château Cheval Blanc. The 2009 vintage release of the Certan is a bruising, black fruited beast that is slightly overpowering to some degree early in its life, yet for those who like their Merlot's with a bit of power, this is your Pomerol. Give it 5 to 10 years in the cellar though and all parties are sure to revel in this succulent masterpiece.
Château Clinet is a rising star in the small Right Bank region of Pomerol. With its gravely soil mixed with sand, Château Clinet has gradually increased the Merlot component of the wine to produce a voluptuous, smooth and yet still complex red wine that is both pleasing upon release and turns into a read star with a few years in the cellar.
Graveyard Vineyard is the jewel in the Brokenwood crown, responsible for the company's flagship wines. The vineyard was planted with Shiraz vines in 1970 - extremely heavy clay soils, yields are low, but fruit flavour is intense through employment of meticulous vinification techniques. Strong lifted aromas of sweet earth and dark cherry greet the olfactory senses. Oak features, but will soften and integrate given some patience. Initial flavours of dark chocolate and ripe plums are beautifully lashed to ripe tannins lending an edge of cedar.