Clonakilla is one of the true icons in the Australian wine landscape. From its establishment Clonakilla has been at the forefront of the resurgence of cool-climate wines in Australia.
Clonakilla was founded in 1971 by Dr. John Kirk, a scientist who moved from Ireland to Canberra and decided to plant a vineyard on his new property in Murrumbateman. The name "Clonakilla" means "meadow of the church" in Gaelic, paying homage to John’s Irish heritage. Tim Kirk, John’s son, joined the winery in the late 1990s.
Whilst on a pilgrimage to France Tim became enamoured with the wines of Guigal - specifically their Cote Rotie trio - the "La La's".
This inspiration triggered a vision in Tim, who would become one of Australia's greatest winemakers and he began experimenting with blending Shiraz and Viognier like those French icons. This was an ambitious project as virtually no-one in Australia had successfully tackled this pairing. The first Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier was released in 1992 and quickly attracted attention for its elegance and complexity - a valuable counterpoint to the ocean of ripe, rich and powerful expressions of Shiraz that Australia was known for.
The Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier is one of Australia’s most collectible wines that is renowned for its exceptional quality and remarkable consistency over the past two decades. If you are lucky enough to have sampled the ultra-limited 'Murrumbateman Syrah' or incredible value Riesling then you know Kirk is more than a one trick pony.