2017 Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Brooks Road Shiraz

96 POINTS

Huon Hooke

The colour is deep red/purple, the bouquet fresh and highly aromatic, spicy and lifted, red cherry, raspberry, mixed spices - a terrifically detailed fragrance. It's medium-bodied and elegantly formed, with fine-grained tannins that are perfectly matched to the lighter weight of this vintage. An utterly delicious medium-bodied shiraz, intense, long and satisfying, but a far cry from traditional McLaren Vale shiraz off the flats.

96 POINTS

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

The colour is deep red/purple, the bouquet fresh and highly aromatic, spicy and lifted, red cherry, raspberry, mixed spices - a terrifically detailed fragrance. It's medium-bodied and elegantly formed, with fine-grained tannins that are perfectly matched to the lighter weight of this vintage. An utterly delicious medium-bodied shiraz, intense, long and satisfying, but a far cry from traditional McLaren Vale shiraz off the flats.

95 POINTS

Ned Goodwin - Halliday's Wine Companion

50% destemmed, 50% retained as whole berry, the remainder crushed. While there is plenty of clove, cardamon and aniseed to Asian five-spice intrigue hidden behind the velour of plush cherry fruit, this is relatively forward in the context of the stable's wines. A lick of vanilla pod oak and a skein of peppery acidity wafts across the long tail.

95 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

Preferred this Shiraz over the Cabernet this year. See, I told you I was ill. Black and red fruit, thyme and spice, roasted meat, touch of liquorice. Medium-bodied, well-defined, freshness of/and flavour, grainy but persistent tannin, energy and length. A lot of character and interest. Really very good.

93 POINTS

Josh Raynolds - Vinous

Brilliant purple. Heady, mineral-tinged dark berry liqueur, vanilla, incense and candied flowers on the deeply perfumed nose. Velvety, seamless and sweet on the palate, offering juicy blueberry and cherry cola flavors braced by a spine of juicy acidity. A spicy note lingers on the impressively long finish, which is given shape by supple, harmonious tannins.