Description
O’Leary Walker The Claire Reserve
Intense depth of fruit indicates the wine will benefit from careful cellaring for 10-15 years.
97/100 – Ray Jordan for The West Australian
“Nothing is spared from fruit sourcing to winemaking. The fruit comes from a Polish Hill River vineyard that is more than 100 years old, and it eventually finds its way into 100 per cent new French oak for 12 months. It’s pretty obvious such a concentration of fruit can handle the oak and the end result is a wine revealing great poise and balance. Massive concentration with the chalky tannin, ironstone character supporting it through a very long finish. There is real cellaring potential here.”
96 points – 2022 Halliday Wine Companion
“The new black packaging works a treat. Hailing from 100yo vines in Polish Hill River, the concentration is literally breathtaking. You can sense the power on the swarthy/leathery/black fruit of the bouquet, the palate doubling down on all that goes before. Its future will be measured in decades not years – needs the optimism of matriach Claire Marie O’Leary.” – James Halliday
Fruit is sourced from 120 year old dry grown Shiraz vines from Martin & Joan Smith’s vineyard in the Polish Hill River. Grey loam acid soils over sandstone and slate make up the profile with much of the top soil littered with rock, hinting at just how tough the vines need to be to sustain growth and produce quality fruit – not to mention the work of the vigneron to ensure overall balance. Despite growing these vines organically since
their planting in the 1970’s, 2012 marked the first year of NASAA Organic Certification for these vineyards.
VINIFICATION
Handmade in a 2 tonne fermenter, the fruit is de-stemmed and fermented using natural yeast. Hand plunged up to 4 times daily to control temperature and maximise flavour and tannin extraction. Left on skins post fermentation for 15 days, then lightly pressed and transferred to French Oak barriques for 30 months. Only
