Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2016
Grapes for Clonakilla's flagship Shiraz/Viognier red wine come from two adjacent, family-owned vineyards just outside the village of Murrumbateman in the cool Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. Canberra District is the official geographical indicator for the wine-growing district around Canberra, Australia's capital city. At the winery 25% whole bunches were used in the ferments with the remaining fruit de stemmed and crushed before being added to the fermentation tanks. All parcels were co-fermented with 6% Viognier for a period of four weeks on skins. The wine matured for 12 months in French oak, of which 25% was new with the remainder in a combination of one, two and three-year old barrels. Clonakilla Shiraz/Viognier is a deeply aromatic wine with generous aromas of ripe red berries, roses, violets, and layers of spice. Classically medium bodied with plush tannins that frame the powerfully ripe fruit flavours on the palate. It is restrained yet powerful, with superb length and texture.
