2022 Hickinbotham Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon

Trueman is Hickinbotham’s flagship Cabernet and one of the most compelling examples of the variety in McLaren Vale—powerful, poised and built to age.

The fruit is hand-picked from Hickinbotham’s elevated Clarendon vineyard, perched above the Onkaparinga Gorge. With winemaking by Napa heavyweight Chris Carpenter (Lokoya, Cardinale) and Yangarra’s Peter Fraser, Trueman is where old-vine Australian pedigree meets a polished, modern lens.

The 2022 vintage was a cooler, drawn-out season, perfect for Cabernet, and the result is a wine of concentration and freshness. It opens with waves of blueberry, cassis and sage, with darker notes of olive tapenade, cocoa and graphite building in the glass. The palate is layered and structured, with fine tannins and a long, composed finish.

This is serious Cabernet that can hold its own on any global stage. If you’re building a cellar or just love seeing the variety in its more elegant form, Trueman is a must.

96 points
"An exceptional cabernet of flare and precision... A leader of the pack. Drinkable now, but best from 2030."
- Ned Goodwin (jamessuckling.com)

96 points
"Deep and brooding properties... Cedar and currant, ripe mulberry, cassis... An excellent release."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points
"Draws you in... Blueberry and lilac, blackberries baking in a pie... screams pedigree and expertise."
- Shanteh Wale (Wine Pilot)

94 points
"Claret style... gravel and blackcurrant aromas... strong foundations for a decade or more."
- Angus Hughson (Vinous)