Clonakilla O'Riada Shiraz

Clonakilla O'Riada Shiraz

Wine Description

The O'Riada Shiraz is named after Sean O’Riada, one of the heroes of modern Ireland. A talented musician and composer, he is credited with taking traditional Irish music out of the kitchens and pubs of Ireland and putting it on the concert stages of the world. He died, prematurely, in 1971, the year Clonakilla was established by John Kirk. He was John’s cousin.

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Acclaim
“Shimmering violet. Spice-accented black and blue fruits and candied flowers on the expansive nose. Round and velvety on the palate, offering juicy blueberry, cassis and cola flavors and subtle hints of smoked meat and cracked pepper. Finishes long, spicy and smooth, with even tannins lending subtle final grip.”
— Vinous, Sep 2022
“A wild ride in the vineyard with a hail storm reducing an already small drought-affected crop. From this point through to the harvest the weather was perfect. So is the colour, deep but crystal clear, blind tasting a tiara of spices and cracked pepper, the fruit supple and precisely balanced by oak and tannins.” (Best of Shiraz, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion Awards)
— James Halliday, Aug 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Canberra
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
3 weeks
Varietal composition:
100% Shiraz
Fermentation container:
Variety of Stainless Steel Tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Fining agent:
None
Type of aging container:
Barriques and Puncheons
Type of oak:
Fine-Grained French
Length of aging before bottling:
12 Months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.66
Acidity:
6.1 g/L
Alcohol:
14.5 %
Residual sugar:
0.7 g/L
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Wine Production

A hail storm on January 9th gave plenty to worry about, reducing what was already a small crop. Mercifully, the vines recovered well. We had rain when we needed it then a brilliant ripening season marked by a run of gorgeous weather in the crucial late Summer and early Autumn.