HICKINBOTHAM is a name renowned in winemaking because Alan Robb Hickinbotham was one of the fathers of Australian wine education.
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Appointed in 1929 to Roseworthy College - now a University of Adelaide campus - he was Australia's first wine science lecturer.
In 1936 Hick, as he was affectionately known, introduced the Roseworthy oenology diploma course, one of the world's first of its type and his research and writings helped lay the foundation of modern Australian winemaking.
Today the Hickinbotham name graces a James Halliday Wine Companion five red star brand in the Clarendon area of South Australia's McLaren Vale Region.
Hickinbotham wines' story began with Hick's son, builder by trade Alan David Hickinbotham, who was imbued with his dad's passion for wine that led him to buy 186 hectares of land on the Onkaparinga River at Clarendon. There the family in 1971 established an 85-hectare vineyard and sold their grapes to such ardent buyers as Penfolds and Hardys for use in the Grange and Eileen Hardy flagships.
After 41 years of ownership the family in 2012 sold the vineyard to Jackson Family Wines, the California-headquartered ninth biggest wine producer in the US.
The Jackson ownership at Clarendon saw the launch from the 2012-vintage of the first wines to carry the Hickinbotham label.
Today the wines are made by friends Chris Carpenter and Peter Fraser and since 2019 the vineyard has adopted organic and biodynamic practices.
Chris, with a resume as a jazz-loving, trombone-playing, biological chemist and winemaker with a Davis University California viticulture and oenology master's degree, divides his time between California and McLaren Vale winemaking.
Peter Fraser, a 20-year veteran of McLaren Vale winemaking, oversees the Hickinbotham and nearby Yangarra Estate vineyards and was the 2015 Wine Companion winemaker of the year.
The Jackson company, operating under the Kendall-Jackson brand, has vineyards in California, Oregon, France's Bordeaux area, Tuscany in Italy, Chile, South Africa and Australia.
The company came to Australia in 2000 by buying the 100-hectare Kangarilla, McLaren Vale, Eringa Park vineyard, which it renamed Yangarra Estate.
More recently, in 2020, it bought the Yarra Valley Giant Steps operation run by founder and general manager Phil Sexton and chief winemaker Steve Flamsteed and a top producer of Yarra and Tasmania pinot noir and chardonnay.
WINE REVIEWS
ROAD TO ENJOYMENT
WITH deep purple hues, 14.5% alcohol and scents of raspberry and cinnamon, the Hickinbotham 2019 Brooks Road Shiraz has intense, ripe plum front-palate flavour. The middle palate displays cassis, spice, truffle, dark chocolate and savoury oak and minty tannins play at the finish. Tastings and sales by booking at Clarendon cellar door.
PRICE: $75.
DRINK WITH: fillet mignon.
AGEING: 12 years.
RATING: 5.5 stars (out of 6)
MULTI-LAYER MERLOT
THIS expressive, 14.5% alcohol, Hickinbotham 2019 The Revivalist Merlot shines brick red and has scents of violets. The front palate shows fleshy mulberry flavour, middle palate bramble jelly, mint, herb and mocha oak elements and a finish of earthy tannins. At hickinbothamwines.com.au and by appointment at cellar door on 08 8383 7504.
PRICE: $75.
DRINK WITH: veal goulash.
AGEING: 10 years.
RATING: 4.5 stars
CABSAV OF VIBRANCY
THE Truman and Brooks names are from small Clarendon vineyard border roads and Hickinbotham 2019 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon has 14.5% alcohol, is deep garnet and shows berry pastille aromas and vibrant blackberry front-palate flavour. The middle features Maraschino cherry, spearmint, briar and vanillin oak and a finish of chalky tannins.
PRICE: $75.
DRINK WITH: osso bucco.
AGEING: 10 years.
RATING: 5 stars
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