Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah 2017

Roman Bratasiuk's founding of Clarendon Hills winery in 1990 marked a turning point for the Australian wine industry. Despite a background in biochemistry, Bratasiuk's passion for wine led him to become a self-taught winemaker. His foresight led him to introduce the concept of single-vineyard wines to Australia in 1990, a practice now widely adopted. His keen eye for quality also led to the discovery of the acclaimed Astralis Syrah vineyard in Blewitt Springs in 1990. Bratasiuk's unwavering dedication to his craft and his commitment to continuous improvement over the past three decades have propelled Clarendon Hills to achieve a world-class reputation. His relentless efforts in highlighting the potential of old-vine Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Blewitt Springs and Clarendon have significantly benefited the Australian wine scene.

South Australia's Clarendon is home to the small, family-run winery known as Clarendon Hills. In 1990, Roman Bratasiuk launched Clarendon Hills and began a path that would fundamentally alter the Australian wine industry. Roman, a biochemist by trade, learned how to create wine on his own. Roman’s deeply prophetic vision saw him introduce the single vineyard concept to Australian wine in the same year.

The 2017 Astralis Syrah is a very fine wine. It is not a big wine. Perhaps its reputation for being a big, extracted wine is a misnomer these days. It has intention and drive and clarity and length—and the length of flavor is so long that it allows reassessment over and over again. It has cassis and blackberry, raspberry pip and salted licorice. It is perfumed and balanced, and it takes time to develop. Unctuous. Satisfying. Supple. Attractive. Beautiful. Eminently balanced. A beauty. - Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate, 97+ Points

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - McLaren Vale, South Australia
Vintage - 2017
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%
Closure - Cork