Deep purple red. Aromas of ripe plums, cherries and earth with subtle notes of vanilla and cloves. The aromas follow through onto the palate with a fruit focus, subtle oak notes and soft, rounded tannins. The wine walks the line between medium and full bodied with a plush mouthfeel.
"Estate-grown, crushed and destemmed, twice-daily pumpovers in the fermenter, 12 months in French oak. Deluxe treatment for a $20 wine. It is medium-bodied, and over-delivers on its price. Mouthfilling satsuma plum and blackberry compote. - James Halliday"
- Halliday Wine Companion, 91 pts
"If you think the flavours and texture of this wine more akin to the Eden Valley than the Barossa Valley, you're probably right - three of the four estate vineyards are in the Eden Valley, on in the Barossa Valley. The scented pepper, spice and black cherry of the wine provide a lightness of foot to the medium-bodied palate, balance following the same line. - James Halliday"
- Halliday Wine Companion, 94 pts
"Classic Barossa shiraz, this wine is plush and jammy with ripe flavors of blackberries and blueberries. There’s a light floral note that gives the wine extra lift. If you can refrain from drinking it all at once, it’s even better the next day. ABV: 14.5 percent. - David McIntyre"
- The Washington Post (September 28th 2018) **1/2
"Youthful purple. Black and blue fruits, vanilla and licorice on the perfumed nose. Sweet and broad in the mouth; a peppery note adds spicy lift and cut to sweet cassis and blackberry flavors. Supple tannins come in late, adding shape to a long, dark-fruit-dominated finish. - Josh Raynolds"
- Vinous (Australia Brings the Brawn and the Beauty, October 2017), 90 pts
Silver Medal - 2016 San Francisco International Wine Competition
"Fresh earth, toasted cumin and black tea flavors are dark and dense, with black licorice and thick tannins forming a backdrop to the blackberry and plum compote notes. Persistent on the finish. Drink now through 2028.—M.W."
- Wine Spectator (June 30th 2016), 91 pts
"Dark purple. Ripe cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by suggestions of black pepper, licorice and mocha. Plush, broad and appealingly sweet, offering pliant black and blue fruit flavors and a spicy nuance that builds with aeration. The clinging, darkfruit-dominated finish shows gentle tannic grip and very good persistence. - Josh Raynolds"
- Vinous (Australia Brings the Brawn and the Beauty, October 2017), 90 pts
"Bright purple. Smoky cherry and blackcurrant aromas are sharpened and lifted by a peppery quality and a hint of candied flowers. Supple and broad on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering sweet black and blue fruit flavors and a touch of olive that becomes stronger with air. Finishes with echoing blue fruit and olive notes, good length and just a whisper of tannins."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (July / August 2014), 88 pts
"This is one of my go-to wineries for top values from the Barossa Valley in Australia. The Thorn family has been growing grapes since the 1870s, and the quality of these wines is impressive. Moreover, the prices are almost ridiculously low, making these wines frequent entries in The Wine Advocate. All of the following wines are produced from 100% Barossa Valley fruit from what they call the Kabininge Vineyard. The 2012 Terra Barossa Shiraz (aged 12 months in American oak) exhibits lots of toasty oak, sweet blackberry fruit, licorice, tar and a subtle hint of herbs in the background. Medium-bodied, soft, and round, it can be drunk over the next several years. - Robert Parker"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (November 2014), 87 pts
"Deep red/purple wine with fruity blackberry nose and a minty, perfumed lift. Medium-bodied palate with intense and complex tarry/licorice flavours. Needs time for fruit to develop. $15"
Top 40 Best Buy - Winestate Magazine, Wine & Spirit Insider, March/April 2012
Silver - Barossa Wine Show 2011
Gold - Queensland Wine Show 2011
Gold - Hobart Wine Show 2011
Gold - Decanter World Wine Awards 2012
Bronze - National Wine Show 2011
Bronze - International Wine Challenge 2012
Bronze - Adelaide Wine Show 2011
"Strong purple-crimson; the sheer consistency of the Thorn-Clarke wines is remarkable; this medium bodied wine brings together gently ripe blackberry and plum fruit; fine grained tannins and a wisp of oak. Great over the next five years."
James Halliday Wine Companion 2012, 90 pts
Winestate Annual Shiraz Tasting (Sept/ Oct 2011) 4.5 Stars
The name Thorn-Clarke represents the union between two families with deep roots in the Barossa Valley and six generations of grape growing. Cheryl Clarke’s (née Thorn) family were some of ...
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