Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard The Revivalist Merlot 2015
Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Acid
6.31
pH
3.6
Bottling Date
1753-01-01
Alcohol %
14.0
In Stock
Tasting Note
Aroma
Red currant and bright black cherry.
ClosureScrewcap
GrapeMerlot
Grape Variety
100% Merlot
Maturation
Three rack-and-returns were conducted over fifteen months as the wine seasoned in a mixture of Bordeaux-coopered barrels.
Oaked0
Palate
This is a lithe, sinuous, bright drink of considerable finesse and allure. Textbook tannin structure; dry, dusty, vital and integral.
VarietalV_MERLOT
Vinification
After walking the Merlot blocks of Hickinbotham, Winemaker Chris Carpenter and Viticulturer Michael Lane delivered hand-picked grapes from high country (245 metres). The Merlot vines were planted in 1976. Destemmed and sorted straight into open fermenters, the berries underwent a four day cold soak. The wine was pumped over daily, and the minimum time on skins was eighteen days. After basket-pressing the lighter pressings were included in the free run; the heavier pressings kept separate.
RegionMcLaren Vale - SA
Region CodeDSAMCLAREN
Region Notes
StateSA
Subregion
WinemakerChris Carpenter, Charlie Seppelt
Wine StyleRed (Full Bodied)
Campbell Mattinson
93
2017/11/13
The Wine Front, 14 November 2017
It’s a substantial red wine by any measure. Bold berried fruit, bold coffeed oak, bold tannin. It feels integrated, supple and creamy – elegant even – but there’s no missing the weight of flavour, and texture. This isn’t your average Australian merlot. It’s good now but there’s a lot in the tank for the future.
James Halliday
95
2017/03/08
James Halliday Wine Companion 2018, August 2017
While this has structure, depth and a certain power, it's also finely crafted and elegant. Excellent colour, savoury yet a whisper of florals and dark fruit, cassis among the oak spice, dried herbs and black olives. Fuller bodied and expansive tannins with an appealing Amaro like finish. Not quite tamed, only time can do that. (Jane Faulkner)
Lisa Perotti-Brown
92
2017/09/04
The Wine Advocate, 05 September 2017
Deep garnet-purple, the 2015 The Revivalist Merlot has black
plums and blackberry compote on the nose with suggestions of
chocolate box, menthol and spice cake. Medium to full-bodied, the
palate exudes black berry preserves and baking spice goodness,
with gorgeous velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing
long with an herbal and earthy lift.
Max Allen
0
2017/08/24
Australian Financial Review, 25 August 2017
When it's planted in the right site, and
when the vines are mature, merlot can
express a real sense of the land it's grown in.
This wine is from a vineyard at Clarendon in
the hills above McLaren Vale, established in
the early 1970s and rejuvenated in recent
years. It's a wonderfully complex wine, with tantalising hedgerow scents and flavours of
of black licorice.
Lisa Perotti-Brown
92
2017/09/04
The Wine Advocate, 05 September 2017
Deep garnet-purple, the 2015 The Revivalist Merlot has black
plums and blackberry compote on the nose with suggestions of
chocolate box, menthol and spice cake. Medium to full-bodied, the
palate exudes black berry preserves and baking spice goodness,
with gorgeous velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing
long with an herbal and earthy lift.
Max Allen
0
2017/08/24
Australian Financial Review, 25 August 2017
When it's planted in the right site, and
when the vines are mature, merlot can
express a real sense of the land it's grown in.
This wine is from a vineyard at Clarendon in
the hills above McLaren Vale, established in
the early 1970s and rejuvenated in recent
years. It's a wonderfully complex wine, with tantalising hedgerow scents and flavours of
of black licorice.
Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Acid
6.31
pH
3.6
Bottling Date
1753-01-01
Alcohol %
14.0
Wine Profile
Awards
James Halliday
95
2017/03/08
James Halliday Wine Companion 2018, August 2017
While this has structure, depth and a certain power, it's also finely crafted and elegant. Excellent colour, savoury yet a whisper of florals and dark fruit, cassis among the oak spice, dried herbs and black olives. Fuller bodied and expansive tannins with an appealing Amaro like finish. Not quite tamed, only time can do that. (Jane Faulkner)