2017 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz

Very deep dark red purple colour with black tinged edges and a bright red purple hue. Lightly peppered aromas of cherries and red liquorice are overlaid by fragrant fresh herb notes. Hints of smoky cedar, earth and spice are also evident. Medium bodied with good richness and fine length the palate sports a juicy profile of red plums, dark ripe cherries and liquorice over subtlety smoked vanillin cedar, traces of clove and peppered meats. Good balanced acidity adds a youthful freshness to the finish. Polished tannins with a long savoury spicy red plum, dark cherry, liquorice, smoky vanillin cedar, subtle clove and pepper aftertaste.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 14%

Other Reviews….
One of the more annoying phrases heard in modern life is “this just happened”, or it is when it immediately precedes some kind of highly or dubiously manufactured brag. So let me annoy myself by noting that we’ve reviewed 17 vintages of Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz on The Winefront but, having just opened the 2017, this just happened.

 I’ve liked a great many of the previous releases of this wine but this is my favourite of the lot. It’s a ripper. Balanced, well fruited, spice-laden, perfumed, floral and then sweetly exotic. It smells and tastes beautiful, and is so finely etched with tannin; it has everything exactly where you’d like it to be. I’d send a case of this straight into the pool room but I’d like my stash kept a lot closer to me than that and, besides, I don’t have a pool room anyway. Buy.  Drink 2018-2025+
94 points
Campbell Mattinson – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion