1999 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz 750ml

Overview

Astralis is the flagship Syrah of Clarendon Hills and one of the estate's most celebrated single-vineyard wines. Produced from exceptionally low-yielding old vines in McLaren Vale, the 1999 combines the concentration and power associated with Astralis with remarkable polish and longevity. More than a quarter-century after vintage, this is a mature Australian icon with serious provenance and collector appeal.

Vineyard

Astralis comes from an old-vine Syrah vineyard planted in 1920. Clarendon Hills focuses on single-vineyard expressions, with its vineyards situated across Clarendon, Blewitt Springs and Kangarilla in McLaren Vale. The elevated sites experience cooler night-time temperatures, helping retain natural acidity and definition in the fruit.

Winemaking

The fruit was hand picked and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Clarendon Hills uses French oak for maturation, with Astralis matured in high-quality French oak for 18 months before bottling at the winery.

Critic Reviews

96 Points — Jeremy Oliver
Tasted January 2003

95 Points — Wine Spectator
“Amazingly rich and seductive, a towering wine with layers and layers of rich blackberry, plum, cherry and sweet spice flavors that cascade across a dense structure…”
Reviewed June 2001

Producer

Clarendon Hills was founded by Roman Bratasiuk in 1990 in South Australia's McLaren Vale. The estate built its reputation around individually bottled single-vineyard wines and old-vine sites, producing varietal expressions from Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Mourvèdre. Astralis sits at the pinnacle of the portfolio and is described by the estate as a world-class expression of its Syrah terroir.

Specifications

• Vintage: 1999
• Producer: Clarendon Hills
• Wine: Astralis
• Grape: 100% Shiraz (Syrah)
• Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia
• Vineyard: Single vineyard; vines planted in 1920
• Viticulture: Hand picked; exceptionally low yielding
• Fermentation: Indigenous yeast fermentation
• Maturation: 18 months in French oak
• Alcohol: 14.5–15.5%
• Sweetness: Dry
• Drinking Window: 2006–2033