2014 Hickinbotham Clarendon 'The Revivalist' Merlot, McLaren Vale

95 pts - JHalliday From vines planted '76 and '89 at 220-240m, hand-picked, destemmed, whole berry-sorted and gently crushed, cold soak, 18 days on skins with twice-daily pump overs, matured for 15 months in French oak. Shows that serious merlot can be made in McLaren Vale (or the Clarendon Hills sector thereof). The bouquet is fragrant and accurately signals the gently savoury/dried herb undergrowth of the cassis and plum that sits firmly on top. Good tannins tie the knot.