-
93
/ 100
Campbell Mattinson
Red
Classification
Merlot
Variety
2021
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
South Australia, McLaren Vale
Region
14.0%
Alcohol %
10-15 Years
Cellaring
Scores
93 / 100"This is a weighty merlot. It’s also a firmly structured one. Mulberry, redcurrant, coffee beans and saltbush notes merge into dark chocolate and earth. There will be no compalaints of this wine’s depth, or spread, or tannic framework, though it may (or may not) lack some x-factor. This latter comment is of course in the context that x-factor is a near impossible demand to make of a wine; given that it’s impossible to define, and that you only know it when you see it. In any case there’s ample weight on this wine’s bones, and it’s all delivered in svelte form."
- Campbell Mattinson
Tasting Notes
The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard covers a steep cut of country from the ridgetops above the village of Clarendon to the Onkaparinga River in the gorge below. Since its establishment in 1971, the Hickinbotham vineyard has become an integral part of Australia's wine heritage, supplying fruit to produce many of Australia's greatest wines. Breathing new life into this historic vineyard, Chris Carpenter and Peter Fraser are forging a new era of Hickinbotham's prestigious legacy; building upon and honoring the vineyard's acclaimed record.
This cuvée has shape-shifted. It's a more compact, mid-weighted and savoury experience than previous vintages. Attention to detail is a given here handpicked, wild fermented and properly extracted. The oak, top-drawer. The tannins, detailed, finely wound, precise and laden with graphite. The length, compelling. Unrivalled by any other merlot but, perhaps, for Blue Poles in Margaret River. Stunning
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity