Northern Rhone Syrah Showcase with Tim Kirk 2022

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This masterclass invites you to explore standout syrah from France's northern Rhône alongside an Australian maestro of cool-climate reds.

Clonakilla's Tim Kirk, a former Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year, will be joined by Tasting Australia drinks curator Nick Stock to explore appellations across this fascinating part of France. It's a region that presents a range of challenges to the winemaker - among them steep sites with no guarantee of adequate sunlight for ripening - but delivers ample rewards. Its best-known wines include Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, with vignerons maintaining their own parcels of land and also purchasing fruit from neighbouring growers.

Kirk, presently celebrating his family label's 50th anniversary, has a deep appreciation for the strength of cool-climate Australian reds. The Clonakilla vineyard was established in 1971 on a 17-hectare farm near the village of Murrumbateman, 40 kilometres north of Canberra. Its first commercial vintage was produced in 1976, with the fateful decision to plant viognier coming a decade later. Kirk visited Côte Rôtie in 1991, a journey that included tasting the 1988 single vineyard Cote Roties La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque from barrel. He left with a vision for what his own shiraz viognier could become. Today it is hailed by James Halliday as an icon wine and among the best in Australia.