Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Vineyard Old Vines Grenache, McLaren Vale

Clarendon Hills remains a benchmark for single-vineyard Australian Grenache. This bottling comes from the Hickinbotham Vineyard, situated in the elevated, cooler sub-region of Clarendon. The vines here are dry-grown and ancient, planted on steep, shale-heavy slopes. These conditions naturally limit yields, resulting in fruit with concentration and structural depth that rival those of the great wines of the Southern Rhône.

In the cellar, Roman Bratasiuk employs a traditional, non-interventionist approach. The grapes undergo fermentation with natural yeasts and are aged in high-quality French oak. This process avoids heavy extraction, focusing instead on preserving the vineyard’s specific terroir and the purity of the old-vine fruit. The 2006 vintage has now benefited from two decades of careful cellaring, allowing the initial power to integrate into a sophisticated, tertiary profile.

On the nose, expect aromas of dried raspberries, leather, and Asian spice. The palate is medium-bodied yet dense, offering layers of dark cherry and earthy minerals. The tannins are resolved and fine-grained, providing a clean, dry finish. It is a significant wine for collectors of Australian icons who value site-specific character over simple ripeness.