Hickinbotham Cabernet Sauvignon

Holly and I celebrated 19 years together this week so naturally, another bottle of 2005 emerged from our cellar. Clarendon Hills is known mostly for their Rhône-styled wines but their Cabernet Sauvignon’s are of equal quality. The 2005 Hickinbotham was poured into a decanter about 90 minutes prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The wine pours, a deep ruby color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and some desiccated, dark fruits and red fruits: blackberries, black currants, red plums, dried tobacco leaf, Herbs de Provence, oiled leather, mocha, dusty gravel, and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry, medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however the fruit seems riper in profile. The finish is long and rich; decadent. A dense wine of strong character and a lovely pairing with grilled lamb chops and kofta. Drinking so well right now and I expect this will continue to do so well past 2035.

Presented double-blind. The wine appears deep garnet with an opaque core. There appears to be a slight amount of sediment but otherwise no visual signs of age. On the nose, a beguiling mix of black, blue and red fruits with a pronounced hit of tobacco, green bell pepper, purple flowers, earth and baking space. On the palate, the wine is dry with very firm tannin that I would place in the medium++ category. Medium+ acid. The fruit set is confirmed along with the aforementioned non-fruit characteristics with some leather and earth for good measure. The finish very long and rich. While there is an undeniable amount of high quality fruit, I felt the non-fruit characteristics and the structure leaned more towards the old world. I called 2008 Paulliac from a classified growth. I didn’t even think about Australia! Anyway, this was awesome and came across almost youthful! I’ve long admired Roman’s work with Syrah…and now I know I’ve been sleeping on his Cabernet. This wine will continue to drink well for another decade+.

Muted fruit. Somewhat hollow. Past it’s prime

Treacle, fruit compote, apricot hamantaschen, grilled tomato and lots of heat. Mouthful of wine.

Premier Cru label says dessert wine. Not far off. This came through a secondary source but good to see they actually delivered someone's wine.

2002, minty green.

This is amazing. Some blueberry, graphite, surprisingly good. Nice development, too. Lovely.

For a 10 yr old Aussie cab, I'm impressed! In the glass, the wine comes across as impenetrable. It's inky black. The nose is dominated with maple syrup and sweet oak tones. On the palette, the wine is viscous and has weight. Super sweet with maraschino cherries. My last bottle, sniff...

Made by the redoubtable Roman Bratasiuk of Astralis Syrah fame and consumed at Daniel Oconnels North Adelaide from their all SA wine list. Coffee and clove aromas. Some smokiness. Great depth of flavour and concentration. Top notch Cabernet from a great wine maker in a good vintage. 18.

Big skunky nose, too much alcohol for me. Cloying.