Hickinbotham, Revivalist Merlot 2018

First planted in 1971, the Hickinbotham Vineyard is situated on the high elevation hills of Clarendon, a subregion along the northern edge of McLaren Vale in South Australia. The vineyard historically produced fruit for many of Australia’s most iconic producers but was not bottled under its own label until 2012, and has been fully organic and biodynamic since 2019. Revivalist 2018 is made from a blend of 96% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot and is a perfect balance of perfume, nuance and power. Round and plush, with black cherries and plum wrapped in a velvety blanket of dried spices, mint and mocha on the full-bodied palate. Rich and creamy in style, it’s a stunning example of Merlot and just about ticks every box for us. An utter hidden gem. Drinking well now, but will only get better over the next 10 years.