Hickinbotham The Revivalist Merlot 2017

Winemaker Notes
2017 was a cooler year in McLaren Vale. The carryover from the 2016 rains into a perfect spring and then a cooler ripening season was ideal for Bordeaux varieties that need time on the vine to develop phenolic flavor rather than sugar, while maintaining acidity and structure. The 2017 Merlot with hints of olive tapenade, dark cherry meets ripe plum, a little smoky oak and dialed in texture is an example of Hickinbotham terroir at its best.
Blend: 93% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot

Professional Ratings
93
Wine Enthusiast
Hickinbotham’s Bordeaux varieties are made by Napa Winemaker Chris Carpenter. The latest Merlot is up a quality notch from most Down Under. A mélange of cherry, licorice and scrubby Mediterranean herbs and spices is coated in a cola-driven sheen of polished oak. Lighter than others under this label, this is nonetheless a big wine which captures the juicy red fruit via lifted acidity and well-structured, savory tannins. Drink now–2028.
92
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
While I’m rarely a fan of Australian Merlot, Hickinbotham does a better job than most with this finicky variety. Its 2017 The Revivalist Merlot is a bit herbal on the nose, blending those green shadings with tomato and red plum scents. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied and supple, but with firm acids and a crisp, mouthwatering finish that picks up cedary nuances. It should be uncommonly long-lived—drinking well for up to a decade or so.
92
James Suckling
A bold, plum and spice style with cedary oak and an unmistakably Australian edge. The palate has impressive depth and fresh red-plum flesh with firmish tannins, cradling ripe and zesty red plums. Drink or hold.
92
International Wine Cellar
A bold, plum and spice style with cedary oak and an unmistakably Australian edge. The palate has impressive depth and fresh red-plum flesh with firmish tannins, cradling ripe and zesty red plums.

90
Wine Spectator
Firm and savory, with good concentration to the toasted herb, cedar and cigar box notes that are muscular and taut. Notes of green tea, rosemary, loam and dried currant linger on the finish.