about this product

The lyrical and beautiful Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah is a highly complex and well concentrated wine with dark liquorice, blackberry, mocha aromas and touches of chamomile, earthy, bitumen, herb garden notes. It is a changing kaleidoscope of aromas and flavours with dry, slinky tannins, plenty of fruit richness and underlying savoury oak. With age the wine develops paneforte, dark chocolate, cedar, spicy aromas and superb chocolaty textures. The wine is generally more muscular than standard McLaren Vale Shirazes with a compelling buoyancy, energy and flavour length. Vinification takes place in variable capacity, open stainless steel fermenters and is then matured in new 'Burgundian' pièces for 18 months.

Region McLaren Vale

The McLaren Vale wine region is located between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Gulf of St Vincent just South of Adelaide in South Australia. Historically it was John Reynell who established Chateau Reynella in 1838, and Thomas Hardy who purchased the historic Tintara in 1876, that kick started the development of the McLaren Vale wine industry. The climate is generally considered warm, although different aspects, altitude and the effect of the cooling ocean breezes moderate the climate within the different sub-regions of the Vale. A large number of soil types are present, although red-brown loams dominate. The biggest viticultural challenge is the potential for drought and the overall lack of water. Full bodied, robust and plush reds typify the McLaren Vale style. Plantings are dominated by Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, with smaller plantings of whites including Semillon, and Chardonnay. More recent plantings of Mediterranean varieties particularly suited to the climate, including Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Savagnin and Fiano have also been very successful.