Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Vineyard Syrah 2003

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BN#152599

Clarendon Hills

Planted in the Onkaparinga Valley in the Clarendon Hills area, this wine is always very peppery and spicy with nuances of Leather and minerals. A most individual wine - always very deeply coloured and with abundant tannin.

Wine Advocate

Notions of melted tar, blackberries, liquid minerals, and charcoal emerge from the inky/purple-colored 2003 Syrah Hickinbotham Vineyard. Revealing a meaty richness along with great concentration, length, purity, and definition, it is a tour de force in winemaking. This amazing Syrah should age effortlessly for two decades.

Score: 96. —Robert Parker, October 2005.

Wine Enthusiast

This Syrah—yes, Syrah, not Shiraz—has a mouthfeel that will make you swear, or call out to your deity of choice. Just velvety-smooth on the palate, with plump plum fruit that tightens up on the finish, which reprises the peppery-herb notes that first showed on the nose. It's certainly nothing you'd kick out of bed now, but will probably taste even better in five or six years.

Score: 94. —Daryna Tobey, March 01, 2005.

Wine Spectator

Ripe in flavor, with a tangy balance to the plum and berry flavors, mingling with touches of pepper and citrus as the finish persists impressively. Best from 2008 through 2018. 900 cases made.

Score: 93. —Harvey Steiman, April 30, 2005.