About The Pack
The latest 2018 suite of wines from the team behind Hickinbotham are absolutely world-class.
Here is a selection of their 2018 releases, including the insane 99 point The Peake Cabernet Shiraz that will be a collectors item for years to come.
Along with the stellar 2018s are a bottle each of the museum releases of Cabernet & Shiraz from the excellent 2012 vintage to give you an idea of how well these wines cellar.
This is a limited edition pack and won't be available for long.
2018 Hickinbotham The Peake Cabernet Shiraz
The Peake is the most elite composite blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Hickinbotham Clarendon vineyard in McLaren Vale.
The Shiraz is made by Yangarra winemaker Peter Fraser, the Cabernet by American Cabernet specialist Chris Carpenter. They combine the best, most luxurious components of each season's haul into this, their premier red wine.
It is a formidable yet supple beast and a fine nod to the great Australian Shiraz/Cabernet blends of the past.
James Halliday awarded it a near perfect 99 points, noting, "If there's a better one, I haven't seen it."
It's a phenomenal example of this unique Australian red wine style, one that will reward the patient for many years to come.
Read more about 2018 Hickinbotham The Peake Cabernet Shiraz2018 Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz
The Brooks Road Shiraz is one of the more characterful Shiraz you will find from McLaren Vale.
With the vineyard located not too far the Adelaide Hills, it has a distinctly savoury, black olive character not often found in this region.It's an excellent wine with flavour and structure to boot and is definitely something that can be revisited again and again over a decade or two.
With 98 points from James Halliday and 95 points from Campbell Mattinson, the quality of this wine and its pedigree are apparent in every sip. It is easy to see why some of the biggest names in wine have made the pilgrimage for this fruit for more than 40 years.
It will continue to mature gracefully for years to come.
Read more about 2018 Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz2018 Hickinbotham trueman Cabernet Sauvignon
The trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the finest examples of varietal Cabernet in McLaren Vale.
Hand picked fruit sourced from an elevated vineyard on the Hickinbotham site, this is a, “modern Cabernet that encapsulates all the toil and antiquity of Clarendon.”
It comes with 95+ points from Gary Walsh who said, “I think this is maybe the best trueman I can recall tasting...”, and a huge 97 points from Campbell Mattinson. It's a powerful wine from winemaker Chris Carpenter built in the mold of upper echelon Cabernet from the Napa Valley but with a distinctly Australian accent.
Something for a special occasion to be sure, and a must have for any serious collector of this noble variety.
Read more about 2018 Hickinbotham trueman Cabernet Sauvignon2018 Hickinbotham The Nest Cabernet Franc
Winemaker Chris Carpenter's inspiration for this single varietal release of Cabernet Franc is none other than the Bordeaux icon, Cheval Blanc.
Carpenter sees the depth and power of Bordeaux here, albeit through the silky McLaren Vale viel. It's a devastatingly smooth and seductive wine with perfectly ripe blackcurrant, boysenberry, violet and green leaf characters in spades.
Where so many modern Australian Cabernet Franc are built in the more youthful, energetic style reminiscent of the Loire Valley, this is a dead-serious cellaring option and arguably one of the most impressive examples of the variety ever produced in this country.
Buy it. Drink it. Savour it. Watch it unfurl over the coming decades. This is as good as Cabernet Franc gets in this country.
Read more about 2018 Hickinbotham The Nest Cabernet Franc2012 Hickinbotham trueman Cabernet Sauvignon Museum Release
The trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the finest examples of varietal Cabernet in McLaren Vale.
Hand picked fruit sourced from an elevated vineyard on the Hickinbotham site, this is a, “ modern Cabernet that encapsulates all the toil and antiquity of Clarendon.”
With 95+ points from Gary Walsh who said, “ the quality … here is exceptional. Length also. Significant wine.”, this is one of the best Cabernets released anywhere in Australia from the exceptional 2012 vintage.
Something for an occasion to be sure, and a must have for any serious collector of this noble variety.
Read more about 2012 Hickinbotham trueman Cabernet Sauvignon Museum Release2012 Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz Museum Release
The Brooks Road Shiraz is one of the more characterful Shiraz you will find from McLaren Vale.
With the vineyard located not too far the Adelaide Hills, it has a distinctly cool-climate feel not often found in this region. But don’t be fooled, this is no lightweight Shiraz, it has depth and structure to boot and is definitely something that can be revisited again and again over a decade or two.
With 95 points from Halliday and 94 from Gary Walsh, the quality of this wine and its pedigree are apparent in every sip. With the 2012 only the first release under this label it is easy to see why some of the biggest names in wine have made the pilgrimage for this fruit for more than 40 years. It will continue to mature gracefully for years to come.
Read more about 2012 Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz Museum Release