2003 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Vineyard Syrah Magnum (1500ml)

The Hickinbotham Vineyard is a relatively large Commercial vineyard that is situated in the Clarendon Hill region. The owners of the vineyard manage the operation according to the needs of their various clients which involve some of Australia’s big companies, such as Hardys and Penfolds. The original 1965 plantings are managed as a super premium vineyard, with the vines being planted on hard clay and ironstone soils. The vines are close planted, which forces each plant to compete for the available moisture and nutrients. Roman pays top dollar for his grapes from this vineyard, thus ensuring to get the quality he wants, and furthermore, pays for his own picking costs.

Totally opaque black purple colour. The intensity of the nose increases a notch and one can only wonder of what more could be expected from the following wine. Liquorice, blackberry juice, violets and liquorice allsorts fill the nose. The palate weight expresses even more flamboyance than the Liandra, making the Rubens look a little on the slim side – this wine is a sophisticated Magdelanian Venus (look up your early History of Mankind textbooks for that one!) Explosive flavours of white and black pepper, violet infusions, blackberry and spice. Perfectly balanced tannins, followed by an exceptionally long black pepper, blackberry aftertaste.
Cellar 10-15 years (2014-2019)
Alc/Vol: 14.8%

Robert Parker's Review
The 2003 Syrah Hickinbotham Vineyard is a prodigious effort. With fabulous notes of melted licorice, smoke, asphalt, creme de cassis, and roasted jus de viande, this full-bodied, dense yet remarkably elegant, well-balanced Syrah should hit its peak in 2-3 years, and last for 15+.
(Notes sourced from Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #155)
ROBERT PARKER'S RATING: (94-96) points