Clarendon Hills, Brookman Syrah, South Australia

Slight orange rim. Mature blackberries, very ripe plums and lots of tertiary spices in the complex nose. Palate seemed a touch tired, yet interesting in its mature truffle and creme de cassis fruit. full-bodied, sweet black fruited finish with dense dark blackberry and dark chocolate notes. Tannins fully integrated with some prickly acid at the end. Probably 3-5 years beyond peak (or maybe not perfectly stored...) - so drink up!

2003 vintage

First note on the nose was stewed plum, with a savory element hanging out in the background. Over the evening it developed its savory side. Game meat, blood, graphite, tobacco, and chocolate. The most prominent note by the end was blood. The acidity was still very present and the tannins clearly softened by the bottle aging and pleasantly gentle. The finish was long. Really enjoyed this bottle.

2003 vintage

A bold nose of dark fruits and spices, dark black purple in color. A full bodied and powerful Syrah, with blackberry, blueberry pie, silky, licorice and spices on long finish. A great example of how good Ausi Syrah is when done right, still young, decant. www.winelx.com

2007 vintage

Nicely aged. Well integrated flavors of cherry, dark cherry, earth and light spice. Medium body. Near peak. Likely good for a few years before more significant changes in the profile.

2009 vintage

Might have been the best of the bunch. Notes more like the first bottle I had.

2009 vintage

This one came across as very ripe. A little plummy even.

2009 vintage

Flirtatious, luxurious, and very fragrant bouquet of dark fruit, vanilla extract, milk chocolate, cured meat, black pepper, and black olive, lean and muscular, the wonderfully balanced palate follows with loads of ripe dark fruit including black cherry and blueberry sauce, nudged along by flavors of cracked Tellicherry black pepper, leather, cigar box, and clove, chewy tannins, finishing long with pepper and spice.

2003 vintage

Eucalyptus on the nose. Jam, red and dark fruits. Not as powerful as I was expecting, almost restrained power lurking beneath the surface. Well balanced as the air took it. Decanted for 2.5 hours and consumed over 3 hours. A little bit left for a day 2 run.

2008 vintage

Nice full bodied Syrah - good with rich red meat dishes.

2007 vintage

Fragrant and opulent with an earthy of nose of dark fruit, chocolate sauce, maple syrup, perfume, freshly cut grass and spice, superbly balanced palate of black currant and ripe blueberry with notes of dark chocolate, black pepper and spices, well-integrated, round tannins, lengthy, peppery finish. Fabulous.

2003 vintage

Intense, lovely wine. Dark and ripe, smooth warm spices, dark berries, long, satisfying finish with well integrated but still discernible tannins. This is in a good place right now but promises to hold up for some more years.

2007 vintage

Rich and ripe. Medium garnet in color. Nose of ripe berry and spice. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, blackberry, allspice, clove, lead pencil shavings. Past the stage where this is a fruit bomb. Has developed nuance and complexity. Drinking very well right now.

2007 vintage

Smooth complex. Yum

2007 vintage

Pop and pour. Very good

2007 vintage

These Clarendon Syrahs will last forever it seems. Even after a two hour decant, this 12 year old wine is still, to my taste, too rambunctious. It needs more cellar time to tame the intense structure. Opaque, nearly black, red color. High acidity and tannin and dark black fruit, blackberry and black raspberry with a rough, still unbalanced finish. Only 14.5 ABV. That is hard to believe.

2008 vintage

This is at a good place right now, with a short decant, but still tastes young enough to go for many more years.

2007 vintage

A nose full of toasted spices, ripe blueberries and stewed plums with undertones of eucalyptus, bay leaves and fresh fennel. Rich and dense palate, layers of warm spices, blue fruits with river stones permeate throughout. A full bodied wine on a polished structure. A touch more freshness will make the mid-palate more interesting. The transitions to finish is smooth and somewhat salty, indicating a high level of minerality. Decant for an hour for the wine to settle down. This will …

2007 vintage

Excellent shiraz which feels like it is in early primetime.

2009 vintage

I didn't take detailed notes. This was mostly primary flavors that were quite nice. Not the most complex, but still very tasty.

2007 vintage

Wow, smoky, moderate fruit, still lots of chewy tannins.

2007 vintage

Stewed tomatoes..

2007 vintage

Aromatic, multi-layered, rich, balanced, and wonderful. I'm so sad this is my last bottle. Still drinking very well.

2007 vintage

Spice, cherry, blackberry

2009 vintage

Another nice Clarendon with deep dark fruits and a bit of cedar smoke on the end. Needed a good 30-45 min decant to open up. Like their 09' Liandra bottling a bit better but Clarendon consistently hits the mark for QPR.

2009 vintage

Still dark in color. Rich concentrated fruit in the nose and flavor, black cherries, plums, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and dark chocolate with hints of spice. Big full bodied wine with a long finish.

2003 vintage

Just killer. Glad I waited and wish I had bought a few more. Great flavor and a viscous mouthfeel.

2009 vintage

I thought this was fantastic - with tremendous blackberry, blueberry, and licorice notes. Big and bold, as one would expect, but a joy to drink - not overwhelming.

2009 vintage

Complex bouquet of blue fruits and black sour plums, curry spices, eucalyptus, minerals and bbq beef. Intense spices and smoked black plummy jam. Rich bacon fat and distinct eucalyptus in the somewhat salty mid-palate. A voluptuous structure and a deep silky finish. May not be big and right in your face but the intensity and complexity of the wine are amazing. Retasted in Jun 2020, the complex bouquet has gone deeper with earthy overtones. So profile and sophisticated. Palate remained …

2003 vintage

great bottle; kicked the crap out of one of my fav zins... (i think it was compounded by an off bottle of the zin) ; so sad that i'm all out of this one;; really solid qpr

2007 vintage

Bangin'. Clarendon just delivers again and again. Drank next to a '12 Montes Folly in a 'New World Syrah' throwdown and the Clarendon came across as so much more polished and controlled. It's also 5 years older, which helps. Lovely red and blue fruits, great balance. Such a pleasing wine.

2007 vintage

consistent with notes of 5/17/2014 - time to drink this

2007 vintage

Overripe roasted plum with a strong metallic note. Had three bottles, all the same. Maybe I got a bad shipment.

2009 vintage

Last of a 3 pack of 2007 single vineyard Syrah's from this producer. This was the most backward and while WS says drink by 2017 I strongly agree with WA that said drink from 2017 to 2040! Alas I only have one bottle so can't test the longevity but judging by what's in my glass I say this is just entering a long drinking window. After two hours it continues to open and reveals dark fruit, pepper, dried meat with …

2007 vintage

Slightly muted; perhaps a bit thin( otherwise, typical Clarendon Shiraz.

2009 vintage

Decanted for an hour and continued to open up as we drank over an the next hour. This wine had just arrived a day ago, and I was too anxious to try. I imagine the next bottles will settle in, but very solid and enjoyable.

2009 vintage

Spectacular. Reminds me of when I first fell in love with Clarendon Syrah - the 2005 vintage. Powerful, smooth, fruity, and savory. This wine is a v8 engine and it's firing on all cylinders. I'm curious how it will taste after more air. Some bitterness on the finish provides structure.

2009 vintage

Wow, very nice wine from very capable wine maker. Very dark garnet "can't see through" color still with some purplish hue (and this is 7 years old Syrah...). One hour after opening nose full of black fruits (cherry, plums, blackberry), milk chocolate, vanilla and cedar. Tasty slightly off-dry palate with lots of everything (alcohol, acidity, tannin) and very well integrated and nicely balanced. Long, firm and tasty finish. Wow again... Great wine already, but I am sure it will improve …

2009 vintage

I agree with humbelwineguy. Nice fruit with mineral and some herb. It went really nice with braised short ribs, Very enjoyable.

2007 vintage

Quite the mouthful of dark fruit! Strong licorice character as well. Lost some of its appeal after an hour or so (decanted for an hour before that), seeming to thin out a bit.

2008 vintage

This is a fabulous Syrah. Dark inky purple in the glass. Dark red fruit and mineral on the nose. This is a fruit forward wine with hints of a herb I couldn't place and graphite. Paired with braised lamb shanks - a match made in heaven.

2007 vintage

PNV'd, .. smoky, meaty... settled down after about 30 mins; 3rd night still delicious and very complex. This has many years left. An hour of decant time will be well worth the investment.

2007 vintage

Dark red, strong fruity notes, beautiful raspberry forward, full bodied long finish with a good dose of minerality

2007 vintage

Heavy full bodied mouthfeel, gobs of fruit, skittles, and even a hint of Syrah! Could be better with a little more acidity. But its good for this style and with the new price reduction, even better compared to the avg price on wine-searcher of $63. Drink this last, your palate may not recover for another wine.

2008 vintage

What a difference a few days make on this wine. Roasted meats, spice, black currants and floral notes. Medium to long finish and big!

2007 vintage

Consistent with prior note. Color of dark inky purple. Scents of blackberry and something herbal. Tastes consistent with scents.

2007 vintage

Excellent full bodied Shiraz. Could certainly age a bit longer. Rich and concentrated dark fruit, pomegranate, graphite.

2007 vintage

Opened to slow-ox for two hours. Wonderful nose of leather, game, muted fruit, spices, and smoke. Soft and well integrated tannins, not sugary and fruity at all. Rich and chewy, black currant, olive and game. Really nice syrah. Bought 3 at WTSO - wish I had bought more.

2007 vintage

Dark purple. Wonderful, fragrant nose. Blue fruits, spices, coffee, charcoal and floral notes interweave into a complex, long finish. Highly recommended and should age another five plus years.

2007 vintage

Jammy, buttery, oaky, reminds me of mollydooker style.

2008 vintage

This wine is extremely svelte and creamy with syrupy/jammy notes of dark fruits. Finish was moderately long with lingering notes of black fruits. There were some elegant and smooth tannins but on the whole, this wine is totally ready for drinking. There was some coffee and earth but the fruit dominates the whole wine and form a most balanced and velvety experience.

2003 vintage

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Clarendon Hills, Brookman Syrah, South Australia

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