Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2024
- 99
- Drink by: 2025-2045
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If one may start with the bottom line, the only reason that this one didn’t get 100 points is because there would seem to be every chance that Tim Kirk will continue to outdo himself and come up with something even better. Mind you, looking at this wine, it is hard to imagine how he will do that. As always, this sits amongst the world’s very best Shiraz Viognier blends. It must also sit amongst the very best releases of this particular wine. World class. Deep and dark purple in hue, this is full of black fruits, black cherries, florals, cassis, leather, mocha, truffles, raspberries, aniseed and tobacco leaves. Immaculate balance, extraordinary length, a seductive texture and the silkiest of tannins, it will provide immense pleasure for at least the next two decades. The previous vintage was a masterpiece. This one tops it.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
