Hickinbotham The Revivalist Merlot 2022

95 POINTS - Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine
"From two blocks planed in 1976 and 1989. Crushed fruit, ambient ferment, with 16 days on skins; matured in French barriques (60% new) and foudre for 12 months. Merlot has had a tough trot in this country, but Californian winemaker Chris Carpenter is well schooled in the ways of the grape. This harnesses a more rounded fruit profile, but also with proper linear tannins and drive. It’s a relatively elegant expression, though with a depth of plum and mulberry, subtle florals, graphite, roasted hazelnut and a balanced gloss of classy oak."

The Revivalist is an elegant, expressive take on the variety, grown on the elevated slopes of Clarendon and farmed organically since 2019.

The 2022 vintage delivers a wine that feels plush but never heavy, with dark plum and mulberry at the core, lifted by notes of toasted hazelnut, fresh tobacco and subtle spice from seasoned French oak. A cool, slow ripening season helped retain freshness and energy, while 50% new oak and a stint in foudre bring polish and depth.

On the palate, the wine is seamless and composed - silky tannins, ripe but savoury fruit, and a bright acid line give shape to a long, composed finish. It’s a Merlot with structure and class, far removed from the soft and soupy styles of old.

A quietly confident red that will reward both near-term drinking and mid-term cellaring.