There’s no doubt Clonakilla is one of the true success stories of Australian wine. Located approximately 30 minutes north of Canberra in the small rural town of Murrumbateman, Clonakilla has established a status that belies its relatively small size. Established by John Kirk back in 1971, the reputation of this winery continues to grow under the guidance of highly credentialed winemaker Tim Kirk.
Inspired by the great wines of Cote Rotie in France’s Rhone Valley, Clonakilla’s Shiraz Viognier is now considered one of Australia’s greatest red wines. James Halliday describes it as "an icon wine, one of the best in Australia” while Andrew Caillard of Langton’s says it's “one of the most important advances in the development of Australian Shiraz since the release of 1952 Penfolds Grange Hermitage”.
While Clonakilla's Shiraz Viognier deservedly attracts most attention, they also produce some superb value Shiraz under their 'Hilltops' and 'O'Riada' labels, along with some benchmark examples of Riesling and Viognier.