2005 clarendon hills, astralis, south australia
Why We're Buying
Astralis is best lived, not explained. If you don't have a bottle of this 100-point shiraz in front of you, know that it is the high watermark for Southern Australian winemaking. The Premier grand cru-caliber cuvée only yields 500 cases per year, with bottles retailing well into the triple digits.
Critics Scores
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
It delivers an ethereal bouquet of smoky oak, violets, espresso, black pepper, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Densely packed and tightly wound, all it needs is time. The wine is totally harmonious, impeccably balanced, and exceptionally long. When it fully unwinds, even my high rating will appear conservative. Its only competition comes from the likes of Guigal, Chapoutier, Chave, Krankl, and Ringland.
Wine Spectator
Supple, graceful and pointedly focused, offering a whoosh of blackberry, cherry, dusky spice and clotted cream character that zings across the palate, picking up hints of espresso and mineral as the finish rockets on and on. Impressive for its deceptive power and harmony.
Wine Enthusiast
Astralis has become one of Australia’s top collectibles, and Roman Bratasiuk’s 2005 version is once again top-shelf stuff. It’s full-bodied and rich without being over the top, balancing dark-chocolate-covered blackberries and blueberries with more complex savory notes (spice, grilled meat). While it’s a big, hulking wine at first, the finish shows great elegance and finesse, ending with silky tannins.