2021 Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz, Barossa

The chunky 2021 Shiraz Shotfire opens with broad aromas of old-fashioned blackberry conserve, licorice and slaty complexity, with a toasty oak backbone. Surprisingly tannic, with chewy textures matched by chocolate-dipped plum flavors, this dense style would reward a couple of years in the cellar to settle into its groove. Drink to 2031.

91 points Angus Hughson for Vinous, July 2024

Thorn-Clarke’s Shotfire range of wines pays tribute to the 1870s gold discovering Clarke forbears. The Shiraz is a regional blend, with grapes destemmed and crushed into a mixture of fermenters that were frequently pumped over during the one-week fermentation at controlled 22– to 25-degree temperatures. The wine was matured for 14 months in American oak hogsheads of which 40% were new, and the balance second and third fill barrels.

A traditional, bold style of Barossa Shiraz.

About this producer

The Clarke family settled in the Barossa already in the 1870s, but the story of Thorn-Clarke begins in 1987, when David and Cheryl (nee Thorn) Clarke bought their Tanunda property and promptly started to plant their first vineyard. It was Cheryl’s father and her brothers that in the end were instrumental in bringing the vineyard to premium shape, and after years of selling fruit to wine producing neighbours, 1998 produced the first small batches of Shiraz to be labelled Thorn-Clarke.

Today, the family is custodian to 240 hectares of vineyards across the Barossa and Eden Valleys, with sites in Kabininge, St Kitts, Truro, Milton Park and Mount Crawford. As a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, all aspects of their business are regularly audited to minimise their environmental impact.