Thorn Clarke 
Barossa Valley (Australia)

The Estate
 The winery owners are David and Cheryl Clarke (born Thorn) and their son Sam is the manager of the winery. The Thorn-Clarke family has a long history in the Barossa - six generations of involvement in the region's world famous wine industry. The Thorns have been grape growers in the Barossa since the 1870's. David Clarke's passion for the wine industry lead to the planting of the Kabininge vineyard outside of Tanunda in 1987, which represents the start of a deeper involvement by the family in the Barossa wine industry. 


The Thorn-Clarke family
Ron Thorn, Cheryl Clarke (born Thorn), Sam Clarke, Brian Clarke and David Clarke.
The Vineyards
St Kitts and Truro Vineyards--Cooler, and with lower rainfall, these northern Barossa vineyards totaling 103 hectares, are at an elevation of between 380 and 410 meters.
Mt Crawford Vineyard--Late ripening, high rainfall and with elevations as high as 475 meters above sea level, this 37 hectare Eden Valley vineyard can easily be confused with the Adelaide Hills - which is after all just across the range.  This site was specially selected as it was considered ideal to grow grape varieties which respond to cold climate.
Kabininge Vineyard--In stark contrast, the 33 hectare Kabininge vineyard is true Barossa Valley floor terroir. At just 270 meters above sea level red winegrapes ripen easily here.
Milton Park Vineyard--Located in classic Eden Valley country, between Angaston and Keyneton, the Milton Park vineyard has an elevation of between 330 and 400 meters above sea level.

Mt Crawford Vineyard


St Kitts Vineyard

The Wines


  




shelf talker




#A4EE294057PNS
UPC code: 8 53065 00043 6
N.V. Thorn-Clarke, Brut, Pinot Noir - Chardonnay 12/750ml
59% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay. 
The grapes for the Thorn-Clarke Brut are grown at the Mt.Crawford vineyard.  Both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes were picked at night, then crushed and de-stemmed immediately to ensure minimum skin contact and phenolic extraction. The grapes were fermented separately under cool conditions to ensure the delicacy of the base wines. These base wines were then blended to obtain the desired characters. The base wine was re-fermented and left on lees for 6 months to maximize mouthfeel and complexity of the wine. 
The nose is showing some interesting nutty and yeasty characters with underlying strawberry fruit. On the palate this wine is a light bodied but full flavored sparkling wine with some great kiwi fruit and guava characters. Good mousse. Crisp and balanced.
"Yeasty bread dough aromas are soft and supple and there is a lightly sweet hint of creme brulee; a nice balance of its varietals (56% Pinot Noir, 44% Chardonnay), with a full mouthfeel and good structure, along with complex fruit flavors that slowly unfold across the palate; excellent weight on the finish and a clean aftertaste."
- Beverage Dynamics (November 2009), 90 pts

"Readers looking for an inexpensive sparkling wine should try the non-vintage Brut Reserve, made from equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that was aged on its lees for six months. A Champagne look-alike, it is surprisingly light on its feet, elegant, and fresh with good effervescence, and plenty of character. Drink it over the next year."
- Wine Advocate (#167, Oct 2006), 89 pts
"Pink-tinged silver. Fresh, yeasty aromas of tangerine, pear and peach. Lush and loaded with fresh orchard fruit and soft citrus flavors, with fresh, juicy acidity providing lift and vivacity. Crisp, mineral-driven wine with good breadth and concentration, not to mention real personality. This smokes a number of non-vintage Champagnes, and it's less than half the price of most of them." - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 88 pts

 National Retail Price: $14.99 / bottle