Brothers Koerner 2021 Cabernet Shiraz, Clare Valley, Australia

The Brothers Koerner 2021 Cabernet–Shiraz begins not with a roar, but a quiet sweep: brambly blackcurrant and stewed plum, brushed through with sage, slate dust, and a fringe of dark spice. There’s an ease here—complete, precise, and deceptively unburdened. 

Upon tasting, the wine expands with intention. Blue fruit silhouettes ride across the palate, then fold into taut structure: fresh acidity, firm but velvety tannins, and a whisper of citrus-spiced warmth. There’s a crunch of limestone framing the texture—fruit held in shape, not stretched. 

This form rises from a place of contradiction. Clare Valley bears the scorch of inland sun and the chill of coastal influence, its red clay and limestone soils etched by elevation. The Koerner brothers—Damon and Jono—picked early, fermented lightly in open-top vats, and aged the blend for 12 months in massive Slavonian oak foudres. The cellar worked quietly, letting the vineyard write the script. 

Their winemaking feels alive, not styled. The family’s Gullyview Vineyard has been farmed for over 40 years, organic and regenerative long before it was fashionable. The result isn’t flashy—it’s a grape cluster shaped into wine with clarity and intention, not indulgence. 

This isn’t red for ornamentation—it’s red for company. Pull it with rare steak, smoked board slice, or simple silence after conversation bends. It stays, not to impress, but to remind.

Brothers Koerner 2021 Cabernet–Shiraz—Clare Valley’s bramble, bone, and breath.