Articles / NewsKirk's Gospel
James Halliday, January 16, 2010Tim kirk’s previous job as a teacher of religion at Xavier College in Melbourne explains the blazing conviction of his belief in the potential of the Canberra District for making truly great shiraz, and the mixture of messianic zeal and extraordinary generosity that accompanies his preaching of the Canberra gospel.
He recently hosted a dinner for some 30 of his best Melbourne customers (and a handful of journalists). Only four of the 10 red wines served that night were from Clonakilla, the winery founded by his father, Dr John Kirk, and which Tim and wife Lara now run. The other six came from a selection of his Canberra compatriots producing shirazs and/or shiraz viogniers.
Not long back from the most recent of his regular trips to the northern Rhone Valley, he recalled his first visit in 1991, and the exhilaration of tasting the ’88 vintage of La Mouline and La Landonne from barrel. “It was an instant love affair; there was a dignity about the wines, their ethereal perfume, the silkiness of their tannins, which captured my heart,” he said.
A seed had been planted in 1990; up to that year Clonakilla had contented itself with the traditional cabernet shiraz blend, but in that year it was decided to produce a straight shiraz as well.
It was the trip the following year which led to the planting of viognier. A period of experimentation and learning followed as Tim Kirk sought to determine the optimum percentage of viognier to be co-fermented, and returned to the Olympians of the Rhone Valley to absorb all they, their terroir and their vines had to offer. The result has been shiraz viogniers, and pure shirazs, that are at the very top of the Australian tree.
Kirk cannot contain his convictions when he says, “There is no reason why the Canberra District should not make wines equal to, or better than, any [shiraz-based] wines made anywhere else in the world ... In 50 years’ time the Canberra District will enjoy the same respect as Hermitage and the Côte Rôtie.” He concedes there must be a critical mass, though, and thus the inclusion of Lerida Estate, Long Rail Gully, Ravensworth, Capital Wines, Nick O’Leary and Collector in his recent dinner. He sees their success as important as his own.
2008 Nick O’Leary Shiraz
Nick O’Leary had worked in wine retailing, wholesaling, viticulture and winemaking for a decade before, in his late 20s, setting up his very successful eponymous business. A gloriously fragrant, complex and stylish red, with luscious black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit; has well-handled tannins and oak, and manages to combine full flavour while retaining elegance. 13.5% alc; screwcap
Rating: 94 points
Drink: to 2023
Price: $28
www.nickolearywines.com.au
2008 Clonakilla O’Riada Canberra Districtct Shiraz
Crimson-purple; a supremely elegant, medium-bodied wine with a vivid array of black cherry, blackberry, pepper and multi-spice flavours reflecting the co-fermentation with 6 per cent viognier, the inclusion of whole bunches of shiraz, and 12 months in French oak (30 per cent new); texture and balance are exceptional. 14% alc; screwcap
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2020
Price: $45
www.clonakilla.com.au
2008 Collectctor Reserve Shiraz
Alex McKay was the winemaker at Hardys’ Kamberra Winery before it was sold, and happily stayed in the region to make a series of outstanding
shirazs. Crimson-purple colour; juicy and lively blackberry and black cherry drive the admirably long palate, the tannins perfectly balanced. 13.5% alc; screwcap
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2023
Price: $46.95
www.collectorwines.com.au
He recently hosted a dinner for some 30 of his best Melbourne customers (and a handful of journalists). Only four of the 10 red wines served that night were from Clonakilla, the winery founded by his father, Dr John Kirk, and which Tim and wife Lara now run. The other six came from a selection of his Canberra compatriots producing shirazs and/or shiraz viogniers.
Not long back from the most recent of his regular trips to the northern Rhone Valley, he recalled his first visit in 1991, and the exhilaration of tasting the ’88 vintage of La Mouline and La Landonne from barrel. “It was an instant love affair; there was a dignity about the wines, their ethereal perfume, the silkiness of their tannins, which captured my heart,” he said.
A seed had been planted in 1990; up to that year Clonakilla had contented itself with the traditional cabernet shiraz blend, but in that year it was decided to produce a straight shiraz as well.
It was the trip the following year which led to the planting of viognier. A period of experimentation and learning followed as Tim Kirk sought to determine the optimum percentage of viognier to be co-fermented, and returned to the Olympians of the Rhone Valley to absorb all they, their terroir and their vines had to offer. The result has been shiraz viogniers, and pure shirazs, that are at the very top of the Australian tree.
Kirk cannot contain his convictions when he says, “There is no reason why the Canberra District should not make wines equal to, or better than, any [shiraz-based] wines made anywhere else in the world ... In 50 years’ time the Canberra District will enjoy the same respect as Hermitage and the Côte Rôtie.” He concedes there must be a critical mass, though, and thus the inclusion of Lerida Estate, Long Rail Gully, Ravensworth, Capital Wines, Nick O’Leary and Collector in his recent dinner. He sees their success as important as his own.
2008 Nick O’Leary Shiraz
Nick O’Leary had worked in wine retailing, wholesaling, viticulture and winemaking for a decade before, in his late 20s, setting up his very successful eponymous business. A gloriously fragrant, complex and stylish red, with luscious black cherry, plum and blackberry fruit; has well-handled tannins and oak, and manages to combine full flavour while retaining elegance. 13.5% alc; screwcap
Rating: 94 points
Drink: to 2023
Price: $28
www.nickolearywines.com.au
2008 Clonakilla O’Riada Canberra Districtct Shiraz
Crimson-purple; a supremely elegant, medium-bodied wine with a vivid array of black cherry, blackberry, pepper and multi-spice flavours reflecting the co-fermentation with 6 per cent viognier, the inclusion of whole bunches of shiraz, and 12 months in French oak (30 per cent new); texture and balance are exceptional. 14% alc; screwcap
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2020
Price: $45
www.clonakilla.com.au
2008 Collectctor Reserve Shiraz
Alex McKay was the winemaker at Hardys’ Kamberra Winery before it was sold, and happily stayed in the region to make a series of outstanding
shirazs. Crimson-purple colour; juicy and lively blackberry and black cherry drive the admirably long palate, the tannins perfectly balanced. 13.5% alc; screwcap
Rating: 96 points
Drink: to 2023
Price: $46.95
www.collectorwines.com.au
