Clarendon Hills

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Clarendon Hills 2004 Astralis Syrah (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection

Price $325

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… — J.C. (12/15/2006)

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Clarendon Hills 2004 Hickinbotham Syrah (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection

Price $100

One of the more obviously ageworthy offerings from Clarendon Hills, the 2004 Hickinbotham Syrah boasts a wonderfully perfumed bouquet of flowers, minerals and spice. Then it backs up those captivating aromatics with rich blueberry fruit shaded with mint and cracked pepper and a long, firmly tannic and minerally finish. Drink 2010–2020. — J.C. (12/15/2006)

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Clarendon Hills 2003 Blewitt Springs Grenache (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection

Price $80

Made from bushvines that are about 75 years old, this tremendous Grenache is a vibrant pink-purple color and has deep peppery, fruit-sweet aromas. On the palate it's massive but controlled, iike a rhinoceros behind a steel wall. Intense plum and cherry fruit warms the palate. Dry tannins persist through the long, minerally finish. Drink after 2010. — D.T. (3/1/2005)

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Clarendon Hills 2003 Astralis Syrah (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection

Price $375

A fantastic wine, but so young that it would qualify better as "fetus" than as "infant." Still very closed on the nose, showing cassis and black cherry aromas after much airing. Its color is a powerful, almost glowing, purple and its flavors—a vibrant surge of pure black and blueberries—are just as intense. Very concentrated and tight, with a linear, minerally… — D.T. (3/1/2005)

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Clarendon Hills 2003 Brookman Syrah (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection

Price $75

Smells indescribably good, but it’s hard to pick out specific scents—think instead of farmers’ market of the freshest fruit. It’s no slouch on the palate, either, where the impression is similarly seamless: In the mix you might discern a rainbow of just-ripe fruit, earth and wheat toast, for starters. It’s balanced, restrained and pretty, and should stay that way… — D.T. (8/1/2005)

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Clarendon Hills 2004 Romas Grenache (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection

Price $100

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… — J.C. (12/15/2006)

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Clarendon Hills 2004 Brookman Syrah (Clarendon)

Price $100

If the Liandra is Bratasiuk’s Côte-Rôtie, this is the wine he calls “more Hermitage.” And it does have some iron-like, minerally notes to it. But there’s more New World suppleness and flesh as well, featuring lush plum and cassis fruit, some hickory-smoked bacon and layers of coffee and cream on the lengthy finish. Approachable now, but should be even better in… — J.C. (12/15/2006)

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Clarendon Hills 2007 Astralis Syrah (Clarendon)

Cellar Selection
Online Exclusive

Price $225

The 2007 Astralis impresses for its combination of power and nuance. It’s dark and almost tarry in concentration, but floral and bright at the same time. Layers of dark coffee and earth are balanced by red fruit, and although it’s full bodied and rich in texture, the finish introduces delicately herbal, tea-like notes. Best from 2014–2025. — J.C. (3/1/2010)

Most Reviewed Designations

Astralis Baker’s Gully Blewitt Springs Brookman Clarendon Hickinbotham Kangarilla Liandra Moritz Piggott Range Romas Sandown

Most Reviewed Varietals

Cabernet Sauvignon Grenache Merlot Shiraz Syrah

2009 W.H. Smith Purple Label Piedra Hill Vineyard

This is a gigantic Cabernet, deeply concentrated and enormously tannic…

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