Claymore Wines general manager Carissa Major, centre, at a 'Friday's frock up party' in the barrel hall with work colleagues.
share
One brand is standing out from the crowd by seeking inspiration from rock stars and champion footballers.
In a world full of wine, how do you stand out from the crowd?
For Clare Valley’s Claymore Wines, the answer lies in rock stars and champion footballers – as well as top-class wines.
Claymore’s labels scream rock’n’roll, inspired by the likes of U2, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Clash. There’s Joshua Tree Riesling; Dark Side of the Moon Shiraz, Whole Lotta Love Rose and London Calling Cabernet Malbec, among others.
The football connection flows from Claymore founder Anura Nitchingham’s love of Liverpool FC and comes to life with the creation of wines named after the club’s famous anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone, and a partnership with Football South Australia supporting community football.
For Anura, a doctor of medicine, there’s one driving force that unites music, football and wine: the passion to produce something special. The aptly named Claymore Nirvana Reserve Clare Valley Shiraz 2021 leads The Australian Wine Club’s dozen deal of the week, bringing together a band of four shiraz classics: two chart-toppers from McLaren Vale and a brooding belter from Kangaroo Island, as well as Claymore’s Nirvana.
These are big-hearted, generously flavoured wines guaranteed to light up your night as the season cools – and our special dozen price this week is as hot as a Pearl Jam mosh pit.
Claymore Wines began just over 25 years ago with small volumes of grenache and riesling grown in a single 16ha vineyard in Penwortham in Clare Valley. Since then, the estate has grown to encompass more than 50ha across four additional vineyards in Watervale and Auburn.
“The light-bulb moment began with Dark Side of the Moon,’’ Claymore general manager Carissa Major explains. “Anura thought ‘if I’m really going to do this, let’s make it personal’ and he loves Pink Floyd.”
The Joshua Tree Riesling vineyard at Watervale and Nirvana Reserve Shiraz – playing off Kurt Cobain’s pursuit of musical perfection – soon followed.
“It wasn’t so much a strategy but there is something in the idea that if everyone else is looking right, let’s look left,’’ says Carissa, who has seen Claymore’s annual production grow from as little as 3000 dozen to about 40,000 dozen during her 18 years as general manager.
When it comes to Clare Valley shiraz, Carissa says powerful elegance is the key attribute. “We’re really looking to create an engaging bright fruit profile and a savoury structural element within that style.”
Nirvana shiraz certainly lives up to that billing – intense flavours but fresh and super approachable. It’s soft and loud, like the band itself.
Claymore Nirvana Reserve Clare Valley Shiraz 2021
Fresh, vibrant scents lift from the glass: plums, red berries, vanilla, chocolate and morello cherry. Plum flavours with hints of liquorice, dark chocolate and spice flow through the palate. Medium-bodied but with intense concentration; powerful elegance personified. Scored 95 points from Ray Jordan at Wine Pilot and gold at the New Zealand International Wine Show. 15.5% alc; RRP $50 a bottle.
SPECIALS $39.99 a bottle in any dozen; $23.99 a bottle in SA Shiraz dozen.
Aphelion The Tendance McLaren Vale Shiraz 2020
From a five-star Halliday winery that won Best Small Producer at the McLaren Vale Wine Show in 2019. Winemaker Rob Mack has created a Rhone-style shiraz, showcasing lifted aromatics of violets, brambles, mulberries and spice. Sweet black fruit on the palate is woven together with savoury notes of olive, cracked coffee and green herbs, along with cinnamon spice and salted chocolate. Beautiful drinking. 14.2% alc; RRP $38 a bottle.
SPECIALS $38 a bottle in any dozen; $23.99 a bottle in SA Shiraz dozen.
RedHeads Blue Belle Kangaroo Island Shiraz 2022
James Halliday rates Kangaroo Island as a “terrific place to grow grapes”, comparing its maritime climate to Napa Valley and Margaret River. RedHeads winemaker Alex Trescowthick is constantly tapping his network to find exceptional parcels of fruit that may go unnoticed by bigger operators. He has scored here. The Blue Belle surprises with its intensity: from sweet blackberry, violets and sarsaparilla aromas to concentrated flavours of blackberry and dark chocolate washing through the palate. Beautiful mouthfeel. More, please! 14.5% alc; RRP $36 a bottle.
SPECIALS $29.99 a bottle in any dozen; $23.99 a bottle in SA Shiraz dozen.
Monterra McLaren Vale Reserve Shiraz 2022
Classic McLaren Vale attributes and quality. Lifted aromas of plums and blueberries, with mocha and dried herbs leading to sumptuous flavours of black fruits, pudding spice, coffee and chocolate. Bright acidity and firm tannins hold the show together. Incredible value here. 95 points from Sam Kim at Wine Orbit; gold medals at Wine Showcase Magazine 2024 and Boutique Wines of Australia 2024. 14.5% alc; RRP $50 a bottle.
SPECIALS $44.99 a bottle in any dozen; $23.99 a bottle in SA Shiraz dozen.
SA SHIRAZ DOZEN Three bottles of each wine above for $23.99 a bottle. SAVE $234 a dozen.
Order by simply clicking the links to our online store or telephone 1300 765 359 Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm AEST. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550. Stockhead is partnering with The Australian Wine Club on this offer.
Read MoreWine
