Clarendon Hills
Something of a maverick estate found in the heart of McLaren Vale, Clarendon Hills is a small but influential family-run winery. Today, we are delighted to offer a small parcel of their leading wine - the utterly perfect Astralis 2010.
Founded by Roman Bratasiuk, a biochemist by trade, in 1990, Clarendon Hills is a pioneering producer of Australian fine wine. This legendary estate is still shepherded to greatness by this self-taught winemaker, whose obsession with the great wines of the world has seen him produce one of them!
Deciding to focus on single-vineyard cuvées in order to convey the incredible terroirs available to him, Bratasiuk is determined to allow his wines to convey a sense of place. Thoughts of monstrously sweet, extracted, mass-produced Aussie Shiraz should be as far as possible from anyone's mind whilst considering Clarendon Hills. They are simply sublime expressions of varietal and regions.
The 1994 and 1996 vintages are in the "Greatest 1000 Wines of All Time 1727-2006".
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Wine Enthusiast (98)
The flagship of the Clarendon Hills line, this comes from a patch of 80-year-old vines that winemaker Bratasiuk claims routinely provides his best fruit. The 2004 is a stunner, yielding up scents of flowers and spice, framed by hints of vanillin oak. It's dense and amply textured in the mouth, packed with wonderfully expressive blackberry and blueberry fruit, then shows layers of rich tannins on the finish that leave no doubt this needs time in the cellar to show its best. This is a tour de force of Australian winemaking that should be consumed 2010-2025.HK$8,900.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2010 Astralis is still quite primary eliciting aromas of black plums, blueberry compote and blackcurrant liqueur with a savory and baking spice undercurrent plus a fragrant whiff of violets. Very structured, fine and complex in the medium to full-bodied mouth, this wine is revealing much more than when I first tasted it a year ago and is now showing layer upon layer of black fruit preserves, mocha, toast and spices before finishing with great length. Extraordinary wine. Approachable now, it should cellar to 2030+.HK$10,500.00 -
James Suckling (98)
East-facing, sandy clay and rocky at the bottom. This is a very intense, layered style of wine with complex, rich, suave and sophisticated style. Intense aromas of dark plums, blackberries and spice with brown-pepper and grilled-meat notes. The palate has such dense, supple and long tannins and delivers blackberry, plum and licorice flavors in regal and impressive mode. The power is delivered so smoothly with full commitment to flavor. Try from 2024.HK$10,325.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (95)
Cropped at a measly half ton per acre, this is Clarendon Hills' top Grenache bottling. It's tighter and denser than the other, more flamboyant offerings, needing time in the bottle to develop. For now, it's loaded with wonderfully pure blackberry and cassis fruit, but it promises to develop more complexity over the years; try from 2008-2020. Long and softly tannic on the finish.HK$3,398.00 -
Wine Advocate (97+)
The 2006 Syrah Hickinbotham Vineyard combines a voluptuous flavor profile with enough ripe tannin to evolve for 6-8 years. Drink it from 2015 to 2031.HK$4,900.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The exquisite 2006 Syrah Piggott Range is more structured yet. Thick, dense, and tightly wound, all the components are there for future greatness. Only patience is required.HK$4,150.00
