Ripe black fruits of raspberry and blackberry radiate this fruit driven nose. Slight rose petal and kirsch characters in the background offer definition to the otherwise roundness of the plush berry basket nose.

Great integration of flavour within the seamless tannin makes for a rounded, forward drinking and weighty style. Freshness and clarity.

Low yielding, dry grown 88 y/o vines are hand picked thereby culturing whole berry, wild yeast fermentation. This increases the retention of the grape’s varietal essence and minimises bitter tannin extract. All pressings are returned to the barrel and bottled onsite without fining or filtration.

18 months, within a hierarchy of 1-5 year old tightly grained French Oak. Barrels are finally hand selected by winemaking team.

The 2006 vintage in Clarendon is best surmised as a Mediterranean finish to what was otherwise a typical Australian summer. The earlier onset of Autumnal coolness slowed ripening towards the end of the harvest season and enhanced colour development and enriched skin thickness ensued. The Hickinbotham vineyard is dry grown in rocky, red, ironstone rich soils. Hand picking took place over several passes to ensure optimal ripeness of the fruit.

This wine forms part of Clarendon Hills’ ‘Village Wine’ classification.

The Hickinbotham is more generous on the fruit depth than the neighbouring Clarendon site (10 meters away on the south side of this hill) and luxurious in the mouth. It is typically dark cherried and juicy – and the light, fresh, herb overtone nuances create a stone fruit/dried apricot character. Juicy and fresh, this laser beam of focus is best consumed within its first ten years of life.