2008 Clarendon Hills 'Astralis' Syrah

Clarendon Hills ‘Astralis’ Syrah
Astralis is the flagship Syrah from Clarendon Hills, sourced exclusively from a single dry-grown, low-yielding vineyard of old bush vines in Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale. First released in 1994, it is produced using traditional winemaking techniques—hand harvesting, whole-berry fermentation, and maturation in French oak—to preserve site expression.

99 Points - The Wine Advocate
Picked before the heat and weighing in at a reasonable 14.5% alcohol, the 2008 Astralis Syrah (tasted from magnum) is singing. Showing no bricking at the rim, scents of cracked pepper, mint, bay leaf, thyme, lavender and blueberries pour out of the glass, adding meaty notes and hints of espresso and black olive with air. Full-bodied, creamy-textured and supple on the long finish, this wine shouldn't be missed. If you've got one, open it and see for yourself. 

94 Points - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast
A step up from the other Syrahs in the 2008 Clarendon Hills' lineup, the Astralis is firmly tannic and should be long-lived. The masses of rich black-cherry fruit are amply framed by cedary oak without ever being overwhelmed, with the fruit persisting on the long finish. Try around 2018. 

94 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
From an early, warm vintage. There’s a complex, spicy feel with roasted meat and earthy notes to the blackberries and ripe red and dark plums. Cocoa and rust, as well as terra cotta. The palate has an intense, ripe dark-plum and blackberry core and strikingly powerful, dense tannins. Long, pure fruit and sweet earthiness. Drink over the next decade or more.