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Domaine Clarendon Evolution

The first release of the Domaine Clarendon Syrah was 2009 vintage and it sold out immediately. The project became so successful Clarendon Hills evolved the concept to expand the range of offerings and position all Domaine Clarendon brands to become by the glass introductions to the Clarendon Hills brand. Domaine Clarendon Grenache was first introduced in 2015 and then Domaine Clarendon ‘BDX’ a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot blend introduced in 2016. The 3 unique Domaine Clarendon wines all feature below the AUD$50 retail price point and the collection of wines is essentially designed to be poured by the glass in restaurants around the world. The wines always offer tremendous appeal given their relative complexity and sophistication at vastly approachable, everyday prices.

One of the world’s best Old Vine Grenache vineyards

Gnarly old vines planted in the 1940’s produce microscopic yields along with amazing acidity and present an acidity profile similar to that of a white wine. The density of the rocks and soil up in this part of the vineyard defines Romas and warrants its isolation from other parts of the vineyard and position as flagship Grenache expression at Clarendon Hills. The heavy presence of ironstone, quartz and shale rocks limit the size and yields of these vines and the resulting wine reflects the mineral elements.

The expression we receive from this highly concentrated part of the vineyard is utterly hedonistic and offers mineral complexity for the wine collectors and enthusiasts out there. Typically each vintage yields a vivid kaleidoscope of fresh cut roses, Turkish delight, musk, sherbert, blood orange, blueberry, raspberry and kirsch fruit across an effortless powerful palate aloft with silk and ultra-fine talcum like extract. Nuances of crushed rock, flint, graphite, iodine and ferrous like rust take this expression to the next level. Despite the majesty of the tasting note the profile is medium-weighted and mirrors an ‘iron fist in the velvet glove’ analogy. Amazing both right now to drink and also for the next 20 years in the cellar.

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Pertaining to the stars

Majesty, elegance and seamless power are some of the most enduring comments on the Astralis, who’s name comes from a reference to the night sky. Astralis is defined as a celestial body and or pertaining to the stars. Prestigious Australian wine company Langtons ranks Astralis amongst its highest echelon, the ‘Exceptional’ category alongside the iconic Grange and Hill of Grace wines. Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah stands at the forefront of the contemporary ultra-fine wine movement. A superb vineyard, meticulous winemaking and personal expression all combine to create something out of the ordinary. Seemingly through sheer force of will, Roman Bratasiuk, a complex, visionary character, has shown a way forward for hundreds of hopeful, contemporary winemakers. Inspired by the classic South Australian wines of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly those of Penfolds, Bratasiuk, a former biochemist, bought the old Elysium winery at Blewitt Springs, near Clarendon in McLaren Vale.

By chance, he found the nearby four-hectare Astralis Vineyard was a source of Shiraz ‘as good as you can get’. The vines were originally planted in 1920 with 19th century colonial vine-stock derived from Chateau Reynella. The dry-grown, low-yielding and elevated vineyard, on a 45-degree slope, faces due east and has pebble-ridden clay topsoils over pure ironstone. The site was once trellised, but now these old vines are ‘farmed as they grow, without trellising’.

The winemaking is laissez-faire, seeking through minimum handling to preserve the intrinsic value of the vineyard’s personality. Vinification takes place in open, stainless-steel fermenters of varying size. Typically the wine will macerate on skins, post-ferment, for 14 to 16 days. It is then matured in new, 228-litre, ‘Burgundian’ pièces from Cadus for 18 months. The oak underpins the fruit, giving ‘fragrance, finesse and integration’. Astralis Syrah aims to reflect the winemaker’s idea of ‘varietal expressionism’, a non-interventionist philosophy that embraces ‘organic beauty’ and the natural character of the vintage. Bratasiuk wants to achieve ‘freshness, texture – and a style that my palate likes’.

The lyrical and beautiful Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah is a highly complex and concentrated wine with dark licorice, blackberry, mocha aromas and chamomile, earthy, bitumen, herb-garden notes. It offers a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavours with dry, slinky tannins, plenty of fruit richness and underlying savoury oak. With age the wine develops panforte, dark chocolate, cedar, spicy aromas and superb, chocolaty textures. It is generally more muscular than typical McLaren Vale Shiraz and has compelling buoyancy, energy and length of flavour.