Hickinbotham The Revivalist Merlot 2021

Merlot, the forgotten Australian mainstream grape, now relegated to a blending component. This Hickinbotham The Revivalist Merlot 2021 is full-bodied, ripe, open and dense reminder note too, with this ocean of plum fruit.

More Right Bank Bordeaux stylin’ here (which is the last bastion for serious Merlot outside of a little Italian/Swiss/American gear) and has that cocoa powder Bordeaux cedary oak too. Nice plushness, and although it’s not strictly varietal, you’d definitely see a bit of Bordeaux inspo too. The oak sticks out just a little, and the tannins are a bit raw. But, hey it’s a trade-off for a persistent, powerful McLaren Vale Merlot.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: Give it two years and then drink for more than a decade
• Score (out of 20): 17.7
• Score (out of 100): 92
• Alcohol %: 13.5
• RRP (in $AUD): 90
• Winery website: https://www.hickinbothamwines.com.au/
• Would I buy it?: Maybe two glasses