This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Australian Red Rhône Varietals under £15 went to Kilikanoon, Killerman's Run Grenache-Shiraz-Mataro, Clare Valley, South Australia 2012 (14.5%)
Tasted against:
- No other Golds in this category
Profile:
Kilikanoon’s recent story began in 1997 when Kevin Mitchell purchased the property on which his father had looked after vines for more than four decades. ‘Growing up in a grape-growing family, I’ve always been around vines,’ Mitchell explains. ‘But not until I completed degrees in winemaking and viticulture did my passion shift. After spending a few years working as a winemaker for other companies, I started Kilikanoon as a small, boutique wine business.’
This is Kilkanoon’s second Regional Trophy, showing off its dexterity in both Bordeaux and Rhône varieties. Some 3,000 cases were made of this wine, a blend of 51% Grenache, 39% Shiraz and 10% Mataro.
‘Clare has a Mediterranean climate,’ says Mitchell, ‘which along with its unique landscape and elevation, contributes to fruit that ripens slowly and evenly through the cooler part of the harvest. Despite the valley having a diversity of soils and microclimates, careful site selection allows high quality fruit to be grown.
‘Our winemaking philosophy is centred on traditional methods: small batches, focus on single vineyards and a passionate interest in terroir.’
Written by Decanter
