2024 Aphelion Hickinbotham Vineyard Grenache
2024 Aphelion Hickinbotham Vineyard Grenache

2024 Aphelion Hickinbotham Vineyard Grenache

97 pts
Aphelion |McLaren Vale |Grenache
A stunningly fragrant yet powerful Clarendon Grenache that shows Rob Mack at the top of his game.
Price:
$70.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

This is the highest and coolest of Rob Mack’s single-vineyard Grenaches, sourced from the upper blocks of the Hickinbotham Vineyard in Clarendon. The southerly aspect and long hang time mean the fruit ripens slowly and evenly, giving the wine its signature freshness and drive - a total contrast to the riper, darker styles you often see from the Vale.

As with all of Rob’s single-site wines, it’s hand-picked, 100% whole bunch fermented, and matured in large old French oak. No tricks, no heavy oak, just clean, expressive fruit and a winemaker who knows his way around Grenache as good as anyone.

The nose is captivating - a mix of red cherry, cranberry, sandalwood, and spice, with some lovely faint florals too. The palate is powerful yet beautifully detailed: fine-boned, savoury and long, with gentle tannins that stretch out long through the finish.

A showstopping Grenache from this special vineyard and producer!

Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson

The Wine Front 96 Points

I lost an hour or so today because I was sitting and marvelling at this wine and wondering how the hell I could do it justice in words. Some wines are better than the person writing about them. This wine pulls out the spice box and throws it at you, the fortunate thing being that the box wasn’t full and so what hits you seems reasonable. There are red licorice notes, red and black cherry, sandalwood, potpourri, an assortment of dry, roasted spices, a musky-vanillin-strawberry-shake note, and a peppercorn aspect. The way the flavours here volley through the palate, and the way it feels dry in the face of its own ripeness, and the way it then pulls a film of firm tannin right back through the wine – is all both magnificent and elite.

Appearance

Bright vibrant purple in the glass.
aroma

Lifted aromatics of cranberry, bramble, and cherry.
palate

Herbal characters abound on the palate, with rosehip, just-ripe strawberry, and blood orange flavours. A rasp of light tannin provides good length and a savoury finish. The Hickinbotham Grenache has great energy and vitality in a medium bodied frame.
region notes

Sourced from Blocks 111-113 at the highest elevation of the Hickinbotham vineyard in Clarendon. A southerly aspect provides respite from the hot afternoon sun during ripening ensuring that this fruit is the last Grenache harvested with a very long hang time on the vine to produce a very well-developed flavour profile.
winemakers comments

Part of our premium SV Grenache range, the fruit used to make this wine is sourced from a single vineyard in the Clarendon area of McLaren Vale. The highest altitude wine in the range with vibrancy and crisp acid drive, red fruits mingle with herbal briar characters to create a wine of freshness and depth.
food matching

Vegetable lasagne with a rich béchamel.
vinification

The fruit was hand-picked on the 3rd March and processed as a 100% whole bunch ferment. After a slow and cool ferment the fruit was pressed to large format neutral French oak where it remained on full lees until racking for bottling in May 2025.
grape variety

100% Grenache

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Grenache
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Wine Front
The Wine Advocate
Critic Score 97
Alcohol 14%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure DIAM Cork

Aphelion

Aphelion was established by Rob Mack and Louise Rhodes with a clear vision. They had one thing on their mind, to craft: "Genuine, Authentic, Quality McLaren Vale Grenache."

A couple of vintages in and they are right on the money. They have close relationships with local growers in the Vale who provide them with excellent Grenache fruit and Rob's deft touch in the winery takes care of the rest.

The range is slowly growing, as is their family. Their investigation into their pet variety is deepening, as is their fan base. The small batches of wine that come out of the Aphelion stable should have a close eye kept on them, more often than not there's something exciting and great value in the bottle.

Winemaker Rob Mack Aphelion

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