Kilikanoon The Lackey Shiraz 2006
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Robert
Parker
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Kilikanoon has selected premium parcels of Shiraz fruit from South Australian regions to craftan unassuming wine of upfront character and appeal. Deep garnet in color with crimson hues,the intensely perfumed nose leads with spicy plums and blueberry confit, backed by pepperspices and charry oak. Textured and generous, the palate follows suit with fresh plums andcherries, a generous mid-palate of ripe berry fruits and a finish of ripe, dark chocolatey tanninsand balanced acidity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Shiraz lineup begins with the bargain-priced 2006 Shiraz “The Lackey” which was aged for 15 months in seasoned American oak and bottled without fining or filtration. It offers a stylish bouquet for its humble price featuring aromas of cedar, bacon, plum, and blueberry. This leads to a medium-bodied wine with good grip, intensity, and length. It is a Best Buy. Kilikanoon’s winemaker is the talented Kevin Mitchell. The house specialty is Shiraz but Mitchell does equally well with Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache.
Other Vintages
2013-
Wine
Spectator
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Robert
Parker
Founded in 1997 by Kevin Mitchell, Kilikanoon is a boutique Clare Valley winery with an international reputation for producing regionally expressive, terroir-driven wines. The Kilikanoon property, featuring a circa 1860s stone cottage housing Kilikanoon tasting room, was originally settled by early English migrants who named it after an historic old mansion in Cornwall. On purchasing the property in the 1990s, Kevin Mitchell inherited 30 year old Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache and Riesling vineyards, many of which were planted by his father, Mort, in the 1960s. Fifteen years on, with the addition of partners Nathan Waks, a principal cellist with the Sydney Symphony, and Bruce Baudinet, Managing Director of Oracle Estates, Kilikanoon is rated by US and Australian critics as one of the Clare Valley's outstanding wineries, producing bracingly intense and long-lived Rieslings, along with powerful, yet balanced, Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Though Syrah originated in the Rhône Valley of France, Australia is home to the oldest Syrah (called Shiraz here) vines on the planet. Found in Australia’s Barossa Valley, where phylloxera has never threated viticulture, these ancient vines are between 140 to 175 years old!
Having brought fame and merit to the country’s wine scene since the early 1950s, namely via the debut of Penfolds Grange, today Syrah (Shiraz) claims rank as the most widely planted grape in Australia. In fact, the amount of land dedicated to Shiraz in Australia is now almost equivalent to what it is in France. Australian Shiraz has its own personality with flavors and aromas of intense blackberry, fruitcake, menthol, tobacco leaf and umami. Conveniently one can find great Australian Shiraz at a variety of price points but the very best will be dense, gloriously complex and capable of long aging.