Kalleske Clarry's GSM 2020
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Clarry’s 2019 GSM is bright purple-black in color. The aromas are so lifted, enticing and engaging. It bursts with dark rose perfume, ripe cherries, licorice, sarsaparilla and musk. The juicy palate is loaded with dense flavors of vivid red and black fruits. It is full and richly flavored, round and harmonious but with natural chalky tannins adding structure and backbone. Concise maturation in seasoned barrels has added complexity whilst preserving the fruit purity. This is a solid wine with adequate power but under control ensuring true balance. It is completed with a lengthy finish. Clarry’s is an approachable, fruit-driven and opulent GSM that is best enjoyed now or over the next five years.
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Wine Enthusiast
From one of Barossa’s longstanding and highly reputed wineries, Clarry’s is a bold yet layered GSM. A lucid, winter warming nose of brambly raspberry and currant fruit, cherry, licorice, cracked pepper and very dark chocolate is etched in charred, dusty vanillin oak. The oak is increasingly present on the palate, too, as it warms in the glass. Chiseled, chalky tannins cinch plump fruit and savory spice. The finish is sappy and astringent. Another year or two in the bottle (from 2024) might do this good.
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Spectator -
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The vineyard is managed by Troy's father, fifth generation grapegrower, John Kalleske, who has over forty years experience tending the vineyard. The 100 acre vineyard is planted to Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Chenin Blanc. Vines vary in age with the oldest vineyard dating back to 1875 and an overall average vine age of about 50 years. The vineyard is low yielding and all grapes are grown organically.
There are five wines in the Kalleske range. Clarry’s Barossa White is a blend of Semillon and Chenin Blanc and its partner Clarry’s Barossa Red is a Grenache Shiraz blend. The Greenock Shiraz is a single vineyard wine, made from a superb Shiraz block on the Western edge of the Greenock Creek. The Old Vine Grenache is from a small dry-grown vineyard planted as bush vines on the Kalleske farm in 1935 and the Johann Georg Shiraz is made from a dry-grown vineyard planted on the farm in 1875.
All wines are estate grown and vinified with minimalistic winemaking techniques used to fully capture the essence of the vineyard allowing genuine hand made estate wines to be produced.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.