Country: | Australia |
Region: | Barossa Valley |
Wineries: | Thorn Clarke Thorn Clarke - Shotfire |
Grape Types: | Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
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Thorn Clarke Shotfire Shiraz is made from 100% Shiraz.
Striking deep red-purple in color. A rich, voluptuous wine with aromas of blackcurrant and mulberries accompanied by notes of smokey oak and hints of cloves. The palate is filled with dark fruits and chocolate backed up by taut tannins and lingering oak.
Story:
When the Clarke forebearers discovered gold in 1870 at the Lady Alice mine in the Barossa goldfields, so began a family dynasty intrigued by geology. A fine legacy that is reflected today in the terroir of our vineyards. The Shotfire range immortalizes the Shotfirer's hazardous job of setting and lighting the charges in the mines.
Fran shares his story on how he discovered Thorn-Clarke:
"It was October 2001 and I was searching for and sourcing for Australian wines, as it was clear that Australia was going to become the "next big thing." After tasting about 100 assorted wines, I decided I liked the style of Barossa, Shiraz best - chocolate, cherries, mint and eucalyptus - so I started focusing on Barossa growers (years later, Barossa Shiraz would develop its reputation as the Icon Shiraz for Australia).
Late on a Thursday afternoon, the carrier delivered a beat-up box of 12 bottles from Australia, 10 of which were leaking. The box was from a guy named Steve Machin, who had just left Hardy's and was beginning work with the Clarke family on setting up a possible new brand. The samples were sticky and messy, but I popped the corks anyway ..... and I was glad that I did. The wine inside tasted like Christmas - mint, eucalyptus, camphor, and evergreen aromas. Great acidity, color, flavor and length of finish - very tasty. These samples were so good and so exciting, especially compared to what I had tasted prior, that I immediately called the number on the card. I didn't realize that it was a Perth number (Western Australia) and it was actually 3:00 in the morning. It turned out I was calling the residence of David and Cheryl Clarke, where a sleepy Cheryl answered the phone. I told her, you don't know who I am, but we are going to be doing business together very soon, and lots of it! After a few months of talking, faxing (yes, faxing) and sorting out the details, I began importing their wines.
That super-star wine from the busted box of samples is the wine we know today as Shotfire Shiraz. It was originally called Stone Jar, but fortunately we came up with a better name. Many years and vintages later, I'm still glad to be importing Shotfire Shiraz and other Thorn-Clarke selections .... and I'm still glad that Cheryl Clarke woke up for that phone call."
Thorn Clarke Shotfire GSM is made from 51% Grenache, 39% Shiraz, 10% Mourvedre.
The Shotfire range honors a family pioneer who worked the Barossa goldfields in the late 1800's. He had the hazardous job of being a 'Shotfirer'; one who handled the explosives to be used in finding that rich vein of gold.
A classic blend of the traditional stalwarts from the Barossa, this blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre is sourced from older low yielding vines.
Bright crimson in color with purple highlights at the edge of the glass. The nose is lifted and draws you in with ripe plum, mulberry and white pepper. The palate is plush and vibrant with cherries, forest fruits and enticing spice. As silky and smooth as it is complex and savory - the wine is beautifully balanced and juicy with great structure and generous mouthfeel. This classic GSM finishes with long, velvety tannins.
Each variety was destemmed and fermented separately - in small 6 tonne open fermenters - to allow full expression of varietal character. To ensure optimum extraction of tannins, color and flavor the Grenache was pumped over twice daily for a duration of 10 days and both the Shiraz and Mourvedre spent 7 days on skins with pump overs twice daily. Fermentation temperatures were maintained between 22-25 degrees to retain fruit purity. All batches were pressed off and once both primary alcoholic fermentation and secondary malolactic fermentation were complete the wines were then racked to new (10%) and 10 year old French hogsheads where the wines matured for a period of 18 months. Bench blends were created to ensure a harmonious final wine.
Pairs best with slow Cooked Lamb or Roasted Vegetable Medley.
Review:
"A generous Barossa red, this is gentle to the touch, impressive in the 2020 vintage. Blending grenache and shiraz with a little mataro, this starts of in the grip of the tarry tannins, then opens to floral fruit, the tannins and fruit seamlessly melted, like the taste of peppery strawberries. Pour it with lamb burgers. - Joshua GREENE"
- Wine & Spirits (Spring 2024), 93 pts , Best Buy
Thorn Clarke Milton Park Chardonnay grapes were crushed, destemmed and then pressed using a membrane press. Pressings were not used. Fermented using French Yeast at 12-15 degrees Celcius. The ferment was kept slow and cool to retain all the natural flavors of the grape. The wine was then racked and filtered. Bottling took place soon afterwards so the wine was a true expression of the grape and the terroir from which it was made.
The color is a rich vibrant green. The nose shows lifted clean, sweet fruit of apricot and peach. The palate is medium to full bodied and exhibits predominantly peach and nectarine flavors, with cloves and cardamom evident from the use of a small amount of French oak. The wine finishes full and long with a nice balance of sweet fruit and creaminess.
Thorn Clarke Mount Crawford Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This Chardonnay is a fine example of Mount Crawford climate, soil and aspect combining to display great varietal characters. The light green color has a vibrancy that is characteristic of the wine. Peach and tropical fruit flavors are complemented by a creamy texture from lees contact and a small amount of exposure to French oak. This also gives the wine a rich, long but clean finish with delicious white peach, pear and citrus notes.
The winemaker recommends trying this wine with chicken teppanyaki.
Thorn Clarke Mount Crawford Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This Chardonnay is a fine example of Mount Crawford climate, soil and aspect combining to display great varietal characters. The light green color has a vibrancy that is characteristic of the wine. Peach and tropical fruit flavors are complemented by a creamy texture from lees contact and a small amount of exposure to French oak. This also gives the wine a rich, long but clean finish with delicious white peach, pear and citrus notes.
The winemaker recommends trying this wine with chicken teppanyaki.
Thorn Clarke Single Vineyard Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
The Single Vineyard Selection range focuses on single site, small batch wines, highlighting the true characteristics of each individual variety. Each block is hand selected by our winemaker and viticulturist each year, choosing the wines that best reflect the strengths of each individual vintage.
The wine is sourced from the most Northern area of the Barossa and featuring a vibrant purple hue. The nose is lifted with perfumed blueberry and satsuma plum evident. The palate is full bodied and rich with layers of blue fruits, Christmas spices and subtle complex French oak.
Pairs with braised Lamb Shank or Blue Vein Cheese.
Thorn Clarke Shotfire Quartage is made from 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 23% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot.
The fruit was harvested at night. Fermentation was carried out in a variety of small capacity fermenters. After pressing the parcels were filled to French oak (12 months) for maturation. The wine was racked after six months and the parcels were blended to form the final wine.
Review:
"A long established blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot that has often exceeded expectations, both with the quality of the estate grown fruit, the way the components are handled in the winery and the blending process. Everything about the wine defies the normal yawn that greets Barossa Valley Bordeaux blends with its bright mouthfeel and cedary fruit flavours."
- James Halliday’s Wine Companion (February 2018), 95 pts
The Thorn Clarke Estate
The winery owners are David and Cheryl Clarke (born Thorn) and their son Sam is the manager of the winery. The Thorn-Clarke family has a long history in the Barossa - six generations of involvement in the region's world famous wine industry. The Thorns have been grape growers in the Barossa since the 1870's. David Clarke's passion for the wine industry lead to the planting of the Kabininge vineyard outside of Tanunda in 1987, which represents the start of a deeper involvement by the family in the Barossa wine industry.
The Thorn Clarke Vineyards
St Kitts and Truro Vineyards--Cooler, and with lower rainfall, these northern Barossa vineyards totaling 103 hectares, are at an elevation of between 380 and 410 meters.
Mt Crawford Vineyard--Late ripening, high rainfall and with elevations as high as 475 meters above sea level, this 37 hectare Eden Valley vineyard can easily be confused with the Adelaide Hills - which is after all just across the range. This site was specially selected as it was considered ideal to grow grape varieties which respond to cold climate.
Kabininge Vineyard--In stark contrast, the 33 hectare Kabininge vineyard is true Barossa Valley floor terroir. At just 270 meters above sea level red winegrapes ripen easily here.
Milton Park Vineyard--Located in classic Eden Valley country, between Angaston and Keyneton, the Milton Park vineyard has an elevation of between 330 and 400 meters above sea level.
Pago de Carraovejas El Anejon is made from 94% Tinto Fino, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon .
El Anejon vineyard is a terraced plot on a steep slope, oriented toward the sun and with great views of the Castle of Peñafiel. The soil of the narrow terraces has a compact, loamy limestone texture. The presence of the white-colored limestone calcium salts contributes to a distinctive minerality in this wine. Only made in exceptional vintages.
Deep red purple color. Complex nose, suggestive of red berries, flowers, toast and spice. Fresh and vibrant; powerful and elegant; well-structured and balanced.
Review:
"El Anejón is an eight-hectare amphitheatre that faces the castle of Peñafiel and has been part of the Pago de Carraovejas range since 2009. Marrying Tinto Fino with 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, this is a ripe, full-bodied style, even in a cooler, wetter year like 2018, but the power and concentration are framed by attractive oak, with dense plum, liquorice and mulberry flavours and the structure to age. 2025-35"
- Tim Atkin (Ribera Del Duero 2022 Special Report), 95 pts
Aromas of blackberry, chocolate-covered espresso bean and lavender set the stage for flavors of cassis, black plum, rose petal, cocoa and licorice. Polished tannins and fine-tuned acidity wend their way to an orange-zest finish
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
The 2019 Heart of the Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is perhaps our most sophisticated bottling yet from this superlative site. The color is an impenetrable purple/black with almost no rim variation. The aromas are exotic and dusty: wild strawberries, black raspberries, dark chocolate, sandalwood, fennel and fresh violets explode in the glass. On the palate, the wine is dynamic with incredible precision and finesse, managing vibrancy alongside terrific structure. The tannins are fine and ripe, supporting deep flavors of currant, blueberries, black plum, fresh herbs and spice that broaden through a long, rich finish. Classy and age-worthy, this will continue to grow in the cellar over the next 15+ years.
We know great wines are made in the vineyard. Vintage after vintage we work with our growers and vineyard managers on the best practices to yield the highest quality grapes we can for that given season. We share common goals, a work ethic, and meticulous attention to detail that increases our chances of success substantially. Whether it's pruning, thinning, changing the canopy, or varying the vine nutrition, we work side by side to get the best results.
Harvest decisions are made by the ripeness of fruit, sensory analysis, and the weather. From year to year decisions are driven by both flavor and physical maturity. We are looking for the moment where the flavors and balance of the grape hit true phenolic ripeness. Our team did over 6,000 miles to and from the vineyards in Steve’s truck during harvest as we sampled 2-3 times per week to ensure our picking decisions were spot on. From bud break to the barrel and finally, to bottle our goal is to stay true to our ideologies. Exacting winemaking, cellar, and lab practices drive our goals of making the best wine we can.
The art and science of winemaking is a continuous learning adventure. The true balance of winemaking is achieved when science and art collide creating a bottle of wine well worth drinking. That’s what excites us as a team. All of our flagship wines are made from only the best barrels that we painstaking select over several months. Once this is done, we begin the blending process, all double-blind, until months later we select each wine that we believe reflects the character and quality of the site and vintage.
Review:
"Simply stunning, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, Heart of the Hill exudes focus and precision on the nose, with rich and chewy dark fruits and a clear line of oak through the center boosting the roundness and complexity. Dusty red and purple flower tones flutter out of the glass. Full-bodied, the palate shows a still tight and chewy core but should last a couple of decades. This wine lives at the intersection of complexity, finesse and precision. It has a long finish, where the flavor of the wine remains expressive and vivid for moments beyond—with flavors of blackberry, cassis, cinnamon and nutmeg. "
98 Points - Robert Parkers's Wine Advocate