2017 Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard The Peake Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

97 POINTS

Ned Goodwin - Halliday Wine Companion

A quintessential Australian blend in the hands of master American winemaker Chris Carpenter delivers the goods. 18 days on skins in all, before maturation in a combination of Bordeaux and Burgundy barrels. This is stellar gear. Expensive, undoubtedly, but the perspicacious obsession with tannin management rewarding from the first impression until the bottle is empty. The tannins are like a groomed piste of molten chocolate, gently riveted across the palate. These guide the senses to the next lick of fruit and riff of texture, while pulling the saliva out in preparation for the next sip.

96 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

I tasted through some Napa wines (of which more later) and six from the Hickinbotham vintage 2017 collection with winemaker Chris Carpenter yesterday. This was the last wine tasted, though not the least. Chris tells me that he selects the Cabernet component (solo) while Pete Fraser chooses the Shiraz. It’s a bit like Hal David writing the lyrics, while Burt Bacharach writes the toons. 204 cases made from specific vineyards, and subsequent barrel selection. Blue and black fruit, a bit of earth, vanilla, subtle mint and floral elements. Deep and round, fleshy and chocolaty, plush with ripe well-submerged tannin, all so smooth and even-keeled, finishing lip-smackingly long. Classic Australian blend with no shortage of style. Puts a smile on the face.

96 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

Blue and black fruit, a bit of earth, vanilla, subtle mint and floral elements. Deep and round, fleshy and chocolaty, plush with ripe well-submerged tannin, all so smooth and even-keeled, finishing lip-smackingly long. Classic Australian blend with no shortage of style. Puts a smile on the face.

95 POINTS

Huon Hooke

Deep red colour with a good tint of purple. The bouquet shows both cabernet and shiraz with the former opening the batting. Masses of blackberry, cassis and violet aromas fill the bouquet, while the meatiness and spice of the shiraz are more apparent in the mouth at this stage. It's full-bodied but also elegant, with abundant tannin firming the middle and finish, the follow-through long and satisfying. (60/40 cabernet/shiraz, the highest cabernet content to date)