Review: Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz 2021

We’re on a bit of a Shiraz romp at Australian Wine and Drinks Review this week, so let’s keep going with another big dog. The Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz 2021 feels like one of my lesser picks from this year’s Hickinbotham release because it feels a bit too chunky. But it’s a brand with such a high bar that I might be underselling it.

Glossy purple berry fruit. Open and generous. Thick, slightly obvious dark berry flavour to the fore. It feels a bit blocky, with smudgy edges, with the power turned up but a hit of stodge too. The score is still a high silver medal because we’re still in high-quality Vale McLaren Vale Shiraz land in every full-bodied way. But this just feels a bit four-square.

The lowdown

• Best drinking: Later. Two years or so would really help, then drink over a decade.
• Score (out of 20): 17.7
• Score (out of 100): 92
• Alcohol %: 14
• RRP (in $AUD): 80
• Winery website: https://www.hickinbothamwines.com.au/
• Would I buy it?: A glass or so.