Review: Yangarra Hickinbotham Grenache 2022

Clear the Amex; a new Yangarra Grenache has landed. There is zero disappointment with this new Yangarra Hickinbotham Grenache 2022, too – it’s a magnificent wine of presence and ‘shit yeah’ charisma and authenticity.

Before I get too excited, let’s go through the deets. The key Yangarra red not from the estate vineyard (instead off the contour-planted Hickinboth sister property at Clarendon, circa 1km north). The juice is fermented in 1800l amphorae and spends 150 days on skins in said amphorae (15 months total in there). pH 3.37, Ta 6.2g L (low pH and high acidity, respectively).

It’s such a bright win too. That’s the great thing about avoiding oak; you just get brighter wines. A real kaleidoscope of flavour and textures here- an oxidative volatile hint, a mulchy/stewed cherry vein, then oceans of sandy redcurrant. Medium-bodied, airy with ultra-fine but ultra grippy, sticky tannin. Ripe, but not hot. Majesty in length and grip, but it remains a wine of lightness and air – a wonderful wine, something magnificent.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: nowish, and I think best within the decade
• Score (out of 20): 19
• Score (out of 100): 96
• Alcohol %: 14.5
• RRP (in $AUD): 90
• Winery website: https://www.yangarra.com/
• Would I buy it?: shit yes