Terroir. Heritage. Excellence. - Wines From Australia's Iconic Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard I’m still on my Syrah comeback. A once maligned (by me) grape has had me swooning as of late – this one included. Crafted of 100% Shiraz and sourced from predominantly 1971-planted blocks, it shows a deep intense, purplish ruby in the glass. I absolutely loved the nose on this one with opulent, rich black plum preserves, cedar, and cinnamon spice. On the palate, the tannins were nicely melded along with more black fruit and spice. Voluptuous yet elegant. Even with all the ripe fruit, the wine was so nicely balanced with the acid and tannin keeping it all in check. This is no fruit bomb. A fine effort that would pair nicely with a braised short rib.

What to Drink Now: Savory Summer Red Wines Though Cabernet Sauvignon is always going to be a standard go-to wine for Texans, here are a few lighter options to enjoy now through the fall. (Some selections were sent for editorial consideration.)... Australia’s cherished Clarendon Vineyard in McLaren Vale produces some of the most prized wine in the country for Hickinbotham Brook’s Road Shiraz ($75, wine.com). Planted in 1971, the vineyard produces concentrated fruit with character, revealing orange peel, vanilla, toasted spice, and dark chocolate with smooth tannins.

For the truly indulgent gift, try these 12 luxury wines This Australian producer is making very nice wines in the Clarendon subregion of McLaren Vale. It took a while for this shiraz to open, but finally we were enveloped by floral, violet aromas and dark fruit flavors that weren’t too ripe like so many shirazes. Balanced, complex, fine tannins and long in the finish. Hickinbotham also makes a great Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon that is dense and complex.

This is a long road, in a good way, and one where the path is lined with dried herb and ripe plummy goodness. A-.

Merlot and More from an Exciting McLaren Vale Estate The 2015 “Trueman” Cabernet Sauvignon shows admirable freshness of fruit and more weight than the Merlot. It is an excellent expression of Australian Cabernet. Although three years ago, I rated the 2012 Cabernet higher than the 2012 Shiraz, I would flip those rankings for the 2015’s.

Dark garnet in color, this wine smells of cherry and green bell pepper. In the mouth, cherry and bell pepper mix with a touch of herbs and a faint bitter woodiness. Good acidity and tight, muscular tannins that have a drying sensation. Too much oak for my taste. 8.5

The wine showed a dark ruby almost opaque color. Blackberry, cassis, raspberry, dark chocolate, vanilla and oak all arrived on the dark and brooding nose. Blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, vanilla, and oak followed on the complex palate. The wine exhibited great structure and length, along with soft tannins. This wine would pair well with grilled lamb chops.

2015 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon, assertive currant and blackberry followed by toasty, savory elements. Hints of wood spice and anise add enticing complexity to this finely tannic wine.

Terroir. Heritage. Excellence. - Wines From Australia's Iconic Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and just a gorgeous effort here. This one was drank over three days, and I enjoyed more each day. The nose offers up blackberry preserves, graphite, dried savory herbs, smoke, and spice. In the mouth, the wine is lively and vibrant, offers nice structure, approachable, integrated tannins, and strikes a beautiful balance of acidity and black fruit. The acidity brings such vibrancy to the fruit. Blackberry and cedar greet the palate initially while the spice and cedar just linger on the finish. A great wine today will be even more amazing in a few years (if you can hold on that long).

Sexy, complex, herbal, and like a card deck, sporting just the right mix of the red and the black. A-.

Rich and luxurious, featuring a full, velvety frame, oozing with notes of milk chocolate, coconut cream pie and nutmeg. The core is fresh and juicy, with cherry flavors. Shows plenty of spice on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2035.

The wine showed a dark ruby color. Blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, mosy earth, dried sage and oak each arrived on the complex nose. Blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, mocha, dried sage and oak followed on the palate where the cherry emboldened the blackberry as the wine opened up. The wine exhibited great structure and length, along with moderate tannins. This wine would pair well with a seared venison tenderloin or a braised lamb shank.

Top Wines of 2017 Two of my top wines of 2017 were made by the same winemaker with the same grape variety but for two different wineries on two different continents. Winemaker, Chris Carpenter's passion for merlot was on full display with the 2014 Mt. Veeder Merlot produced & bottled by Mt. Brave and the 2014 The Revivalist Merlot McLaren Vale vinted & bottled by Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard.

The Hickinbotham Clarendon vineyard is a source of several mighty fine reds and this merlot should change anyone’s attitude to the variety. This is a stunner, its plum/prune compote aromatics an awesome capture to your imagination, and though a third or so new oak does show a little influence now there is an extraordinary elegance and freshness to the wine, medium bodied with good structure and balance of aromatics, flavours, and fine chalky tannins. Five stars.

Merlot Can be Great – Try These from Winemaker Chris Carpenter Here the color was a bit more muted, and less vibrant. That was the first noticeable difference from the two wines above. Some orange hints crept into the rim. On the nose you get rich, ripe fruit and a good bit of earthiness. This seems rounder than the other two, and more mature. Caramel and blueberry make an appearance. It is rich on the palate, full bodied and quite complex. There was a nice balsamic note. To me it drank like a bit of an older wine, and Cheri absolutely loved it. This was her favorite. For me it was third, in a group of three great wines. You can’t miss here. SRP of $75.

What to Drink Now: Reds for 2018 Winemaker Chris Carpenter began splitting his time between Napa and Australia a few years ago when Jackson Family Wines purchased the historic McLaren Vale Hickinbotham Estate. His years crafting premium wines for Cardinale and Lokoya help him produce individualistic Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah from Australian vines that date back to 1858. Hickinbotham Revivalist Merlot layers black plum, spice, and woody herbal notes.

Got here too early for the wood, but supple sexiness awaits those who r patient. A-

Gold Medal

Uncorked: Spire Collection a portfolio of all stars Charlie Seppelt joined Carpenter to form a winemaking supergroup on Hickinbotham Brooks Road Shiraz 2014 from McLaren Vale in South Australia. There’s a hint of wild game on the nose and flavors of plum and cranberry. The sloped vineyards have produced some of Australia’s most collectible wines and the Shiraz, from vineyards planted in 1971, is a dynamic wine that represented a historic site well.

Wine a gift that fits almost every taste and budget From the impossible-to-buy-for wine geek, to someone who has gone out of their way to make your life better in 2017, we have the solution. It’s a column tradition at this time of the year to offer several wine picks you might consider buying as gifts for friends and acquaintances. This isn’t the throwaway bottle, but rather the thoughtful selection tailored to the likes or wants of the recipient. From the impossible-to-buy-for wine geek, to someone who has gone out of their way to make your life better in 2017, we have the solution. Just remember no matter who you are buying for, you should never spend more than you can afford because it’s the thought that matters... THE CARNIVORE There will always be a market for big, rich, reds, although we draw the line at the surging trend of sweet reds with growing levels of residual sugar. In the dry sector, the go-to grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz and even Zinfandel — or most any red blend that combines these grapes. Origins span vineyards in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, the Languedoc, Uco Valley, the Maipo Valley, the Barossa Valley to start. Two we love: Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 , (McLaren Vale, South Australia, $89.99)...

My Ten Best Wines of 2017 The product of a winemaking partnership between Charlie Seppelt and Chris Carpenter, this McClaren Vale wine is crafted from vines planted in 1971. It is deeply complex wine with layers of polish and finesse, dark black cherry notes and tart savory threads. A truly stunning wine with velvety contours that harmonize on the palate…drinks like an aria but has a bluesy soul.

There are four wines in the first, 2012 vintage release from this vineyard under Jackson/Yangarra ownership: a Shiraz, a Merlot, a Cabernet/Shiraz blend and this varietal Cabernet, which, for me, is far and away the best of the bunch. There’s a very special spot in the Clarendon vineyard, down at the bottom of the hill, where vines give way to gum trees lining the slow-moving waters of the Onkaparinga River. When I taste this Cabernet, with its intense flavours of dark, dusky berries and damp composty undergrowth, I’m taken back to that special place on the riverbank.

It has pure fruit aromas, flavors of plush cherry and crushed strawberry, with notes of anise, vanilla and spice. The velvety texture is wrapped around a powerful, well-structured core. Delicious.

Very deep color; lovely black cherry aroma; layered fruit, silky and sensuous; long balanced finish.

Deep, dark ruby purple color; rich black cherry, chocolate, earthy notes on the nose; dry full, lots of black cherry and plum notes, incredible depth, toasty oak, great balance and a finish that goes on forever. Incredible concentration of flavor, rich and mouthfilling! Hartford Court is making some of the finest Pinots in California. The Arrendell is no exception-truly exceptional Pinot. (originally published in the 7/1/03 issue.)