2002 Shiraz/Viognier, Clonakilla

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Graceful, perfumed and beautifully composed, this is one of those rare Australian reds that seems to speak in velvet rather than volume. Dark cherry, raspberry, plum skin and black pepper rise with a delicate floral lift from the Viognier, while age has brought savoury detail, spice, game and a faint autumnal warmth. The palate is long, fine and quietly powerful, with silky tannins, mature fruit and a poised, lingering finish that still feels wonderfully alive.

For When: the bottle deserves a proper table, unhurried conversation and glasses that are treated with a little reverence.
Pairs with: roast lamb, duck, venison, mushroom ragù, chargrilled aubergine, slow-cooked beef or aged hard cheeses.
If this wine were...: a well-cut velvet jacket worn to dinner in the cool Canberra evening.

Clonakilla is one of Australia’s landmark family wineries, founded by John Kirk near Murrumbateman in 1971. Its Shiraz Viognier became a defining wine for the Canberra District after Tim Kirk returned from the Rhône with the inspiration to co-ferment Shiraz with Viognier, creating a style that brought perfume, elegance and finesse to Australian red wine. The 2002 vintage sits firmly in that story, a mature expression of one of the country’s great modern classics.