Thorn Clarke - Shotfire Ridge
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. 

Thorn-Clarke Wines was launched in 2002 as a result of the 37 year marriage between David and Cheryl Clarke (nee Thorn). The Thorn family have grown vines in the Barossa since the 1870’s and still proudly own and manage some of the oldest vineyards in the region.
The wine is another reward for geologist David Clarke and his family. The family has planted four diverse Barossa vineyards over the last 20 years, enabling them to blend wines grown from different terroirs which adds complexity and richness to the wine.
“When we started out 20 years ago I knew from my geological research that the varied Barossa geology and soil types offered us a broad palate to work with. Then when we started making trial blends in the 1990s it became clear that the vineyards complemented each other brilliantly and provided us with a new level of flavor complexity. We have blended to take advantage of these sub regional and micro climatic characteristics.”
“Our philosophy is to over-deliver in terms of the quality we offer at each price level.  Wine lovers remember wines which are stunning value and we work hard to ensure that whether people buy the Sandpiper range at $15 or the Shotfire range at $23 they are drinking wines that are excellent value for money.” -David Clarke


The Thorn-Clarke family
Ron Thorn, Cheryl Clarke (born Thorn), Sam Clarke, Brian Clarke and David Clarke.
The Vineyards
 Outstanding parcels of 100% Barossa Valley fruit are selected from the Kabininge vineyard for these wines which then receive special oak maturation treatment in our Barossa cellars. The result is a rich and voluptuous Barossa Shiraz and an exciting Cuvée.
Vinification techniques: crushing and de-stemming into open fermenters. Pumping over twice daily to maximise color, tannin and flavor extraction. Cooling is used to ensure ferments remain in the 22-25°C range which will allow the wine to display maximum fruit expression. Pressing then occurs approximately 7 days after crushing and the resulting wine is put into French and American oak.
“The key to good Malbec is being able to successfully ripen the fruit. Our St Kitts vineyard at the Northern end of the Barossa provides a fantastic environment to do that.”
“The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc fruit come from the old vine Kabininge Block near Krondorf on the Barossa Valley flore and they provide wonderful upfront berry fruits; the Malbec from the drier northern St Kitts vineyard balances the cool climate Angaston vineyard Petit Verdot which provides great depth of flavor and intensity, while the Merlot, also from St Kitts, gives the palate a wonderful suppleness. The grainy tannins add to the rich mouth feel of the wine.” -Sam Clarke
The Wines




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UPC code: 8 53065 00018 4
2006 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire, Chardonnay, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
"Pale yellow. Smoky apple and yellow plum on the nose, with buttery, leesy notes adding complexity. Spicy orchard and citrus flavors display an attractively juicy quality, with nervy mineral notes on the back. Turns a bit warm on the finish, picking up peach pit and apricot notes."
 - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 88 pts

"The 2006 Chardonnay “Shotfire” offers aromatic complexity including notes of mineral, poached pear, and melon. Supple-textured, it has ample ripe fruit and good depth. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. It offers excellent value."
- Wine Advocate (#173, Oct. 2007), 89 pts
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UPC code: 8 53065 00018 4
2005 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire, Chardonnay, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
"Bright gold. Buttery, nutty tropical fruit aromas, with hints of honey and fresh bay. Medium-bodied chardonnay with plump tropical and peach flavors and a dusty mineral component; rather elegantly styled and carrying no excess weight. Finishes with round, juicy peach and pear flavors and a tangy white pepper accent." - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 87 pts
National Retail Price: $23.95 / bottle











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#A0EE294008SZL
UPC code: 8 53065 00015 3
2006 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire, Shiraz, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
The grapes are crushed and destemmed into open fermenters. Yeast is added immediately once in fermenter and the ferments are pumped over twice daily to maximize color, tannin and flavor extraction. Cooling is used to ensure ferments remain in the 22-25 degrees Celsius range which will allow the fruit to display maximum fruit expression. Pressing then occurs approximately seven days after crushing and the wine is then put into a mix of French and American oak to mature.
12 to 18 months in 40% new American and French hogsheads, with the balance going into 2nd and 3rd fill barrels.

Deep red in color. The lifted nose has plums and sweet spice - cardoman and cinnamon, with choc mint oak characters. The palate is full bodied but refined with some expressive berry fruit, plums, liquorice and complex spicy oak. There is a great depth of fruit which will ensure the longevity of the wine and also gives it wonderful mouthfilling sensation. The tannins are velvety and combined with the rich fruit and spicy oak gives the wine great length of flavor.

"Aims for refinement and achieves a supple balance of ripe plum and currant fruit against a range of sweet spices and fine tannins, lingering gently and expressively. Production was split between cork and screw-cap closures. Tasted from cork. Drink now through 2016."
 - Wine Spectator (Oct. 2007), 91 pts
#57 on the TOP 100 WINES FOR 2007

#A0EE29452
UPC code: 8 53065 00015 3
2005 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire Shiraz, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
 "The 2005 Shiraz Shotfire Ridge beefs up the oak and fruit intensity in a full-bodied, chocolaty, rich, ball buster styled Barossa Shiraz that coats the palate, stains the teeth, and provides an intense mouthful of wine. It should drink well for 10-12 years. It is a remarkable value."
- Wine Advocate (#167, Oct 2006), 92 pts

"Polished, focused and gorgeously balanced to display its raspberry, cherry and red plum notes in impressive harmony, the flavors lingering against a touch of oak and refined tannins on the long finish. Drink now through 2015." - Wine Spectator (Insider, Apr 4, 2007), 92 pts 
- SMART BUY

"Deep, saturated purple. Dusty deep aromas of espresso-tinged blackberry, blueberry and blackcurrant. Lush, velvety and sweet, the blackberry and blueberry flavors veering toward liqueur-like but retaining focus and clarity. I suspect that many hard-core Old World palates might find this a bit too much but I'm impressed." 
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 90 pts

 "This is OUTSTANDING.  New oak, concentration, rich texture and long finish.  And there’s more: great cellaring potential, even though it is so delicious now.  Bright deep red/purple color.  Knock-your-socks-off bouquet of cedar oak, black berries, dark cherries and plums with a touch of chocolate.  The ultra rich palate has a dense, weighty mid palate yet is super smooth and finishes with dark chocolate tannins.  The length is very, very long.  The best thing about this wine is that its powerful palate is superbly balanced and well-proportioned.  At its best: now to 2015." - Wine Orbit, 96 pts

National Retail Price: $23.95 / bottle


 #A0GG294054SZL
UPC code: 8 53065 00015 3
2005 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire, Shiraz 12/375ml
National Retail Price: $13.99 / bottle



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UPC code: 8 53065 00017 7
2006 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire Cuvée, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
2006 Vintage was a very mild growing season ensuring all the varieties used in the Shotfire Cuvee achieved optimal ripeness and were harvested at maximum flavor.
Cabernet Sauvignon 43%; Cabernet Franc 19%; Malbec 18%; Petite Verdot 8%; Shiraz 4%
The grapes are crushed and destemmed into fermenters. Yeast is added immediately once in fermenter and the ferments are pumped over twice daily to maximize color, tannin and flavor extraction. Cooling is used to ensure ferments remain in the 22–25 degrees Celcius range which will allow the fruit to display maximum fruit expression. Pressing then occurs approximately seven days after crushing and the wine is then put into a mix of French and American oak to mature.
Aged for 18 months in tight grain French (85%) and American oak (15%).
The color is a deep inky red. There is good concentration of violets on the nose with some lifted perfume from the Petit Verdot. The palate is rich, ripe and medium to full bodied. The wine is bursting with flavors of blackcurrant, plums and Christmas pudding and shows great balance with the supporting spicy oak adding complexity and character. The tannins are chewy and complement the mouthfilling flavor you get when you taste the wine. The wine has great vibrancy and poise which are evident on the long seamless finish.

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UPC code: 8 53065 00017 7
2005 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire Cuvée, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
Made from 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 10.5% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5.5% Merlot.
The wine has been aged for 14-16 months in tight grain French 85%) and American oak (15%)
The grapes are sourced from multiple vineyards dotted across Thorn-Clarke’s estates, and combined with the use of several barrel cooperages, which means that the wine is blended from over 34 distinct parcels.
The wine is a deep inky purple color. There are lifted dark fruits, cedary oak and some perfume from the Petit Verdot on the nose. The palate is rich, ripe and full bodied. The wine is bursting with flavors of blackcurrant, plums and Christmas pudding. The supporting oak has dark chocolate and vanilla essence. The tannins are chalky but complement the wine to give it great mouth feel and length of fruit and oak flavors.
There is an awesome length to this wine with lingering berry fruit and spicy oak. Australian wine lovers became very familiar with the wine last year as sales surged following the Adelaide Wine Show win. People will be delighted with the lineage we are creating with Shotfire in that the 2005 has once again been shown to be one of the finest wines in the country.”

“Elegant, expressive and appealing, offering plum, fresh currant and vibrant mulberry notes with hints of cream and sweet spices on the long, refined finish. Drink now through 2013.” H.S. - Wine Spectator (Apr 2007) - 91 pts

"Bright ruby. Seductive dark berry and kirsch aromas show good depth and are brightened by lively floral and mineral notes; there's oak here but it's playing a supporting role. Light on its feet, with pure blackberry and cassis flavors building in power through the finish. Delicious and impressively balanced."
- International Wine Cellar (July/Aug 2007), 90 pts

National Retail Price: $23.95 / bottle


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#A0EE294076SZL
UPC code: 8 53065 00016 0
2006 Thorn-Clarke, Shotfire, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley 12/750ml
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 5% Merlot.  Low-temperature fermentation in open fermenters, pumped over twice daily for maximum fruit expression.  Pressed seven days after crushing and transferred into fine grain French oak to mature.  Aged for 18 months in top quality French oak barrels. 
Blackberry and cassis fruit aromas. The palate is medium bodied with lovely sweet berry, liquorice and toasty French oak. Finishes with great length of cherry ripe fruit balanced by silky, seductive tannins.

National Retail Price: $23.95 / bottle