Description
Brad Hickey (AKA Brash Higgins) is one of the most original and creative producers in McLaren Vale today.
Never content to simply walk the conventional road, Brad makes an eclectic and exciting range of wines that show a unique face of his home region, spanning textural, thought-provoking whites and bright, energetic reds.
In this pack you can sample the full set of new releases from Brad Hickey and Nicole Thorpe.
- 2020 Brash Higgins SHZ Shiraz
- 2021 Brash Higgins MRLO Merlot
- 2022 Brash Higgins NDV Nero d'Avola
- 2021 Brash Higgins GR/M Grenache Mataro
- 2022 Brash Higgins CINS Cinsault
- 2021 Brash Higgins MCC Mataro Cinsault Carignan
2020 Brash Higgins SHZ Shiraz
A McLaren Vale producer's range would not be complete without a Shiraz, and Brad Hickey (AKA Brash Higgins) does not disappoint.
Sourced from the organically certified Omensetter Vineyard, this wine broods with black plum, and smoked chorizo, underscored by the vineyard’s signature earthiness and blood orange zest twist. The palate is generous and and deep, with beautifully integrated tannins and a long, intricate finish of dark berries and spice.
Crafted from 21-year-old vines, this Shiraz saw 20 months in a mix of new and old French oak after fermenting with wild yeast and 20% whole bunches, lending it a textural complexity that’s both savoury and refreshing.
The SHZ delivers deep fruit intensity without feeling overpowered. This is our kind of McLaren Vale Shiraz - where old school and new school meet.
94 Points
"Dense dark fruit perfume, also iron-rich from the get-go. Rosemary, lavender, orange peel, five spice, umami, molasses type of sweet-salty aroma... It’s all serious and seriously well made too."
- Kasia Sobiesiak (The Wine Front)
94 points
"McLaren Vale meets northern Rhône – achieved with aplomb, without quite the mid-weighted framework or tenacious freshness. Very good all the same... A stylised wine, trading in regionality as we knew it, for an aspirational zeitgeist and a remoulding of perceptions."
- Ned Goodwin MW (Halliday Wine Companion)
2021 Brash Higgins MRLO Merlot
MRLO is a wine that aims to change some of the preconceptions of Australian Merlot.
This McLaren Vale grown fruit is fermented wild in clay amphora, settled, then aged in amphora for a further nine months. Brad also makes the addition of 15% Nero d'Avola for an extra bit of pep and funk turning this often maligned variety into something pretty unique.
It's not just creatively put together, it's also undeniably delicious. It's quite exciting to see Merlot so perfumed, so energetic and so more-ish.
Only 200 cases made.
2022 Brash Higgins NDV Nero d'Avola
When it comes to Nero d'Avola in Australia, Brash Higgins' NDV is in a league of its own. Brad Hickey has been pioneering this Sicilian variety in McLaren Vale since 2009, and his 2022 release marks the 12th vintage of this drought-tolerant, sun-loving grape. It's a Nero d'Avola that speaks fluently in both Italian and Australian, blending tradition with innovation in a way that sets it apart.
Crafted in a style that honours its Sicilian roots, the NDV is wild, spicy, and brimming with energy. What truly makes this wine special is its amphora ageing process. The grapes are fermented wild in beeswax-lined clay amphoras, a technique that preserves the transparency of the variety and allows the wine to age on skins and seeds for six months. This ancient method brings out layers of complexity that you won’t find in your average Nero.
Crimson in colour, the NDV bursts with aromas of mezcal, black cherry, tomato, and Indian spices, with a hint of orange peel—a nod to its distinct amphora style. On the palate, it’s like sipping a Negroni cocktail, full of pomegranate, dark raspberry, and morello cherry, all balanced by a sweet-sour cherry acidity. The finish is long, with fine-grained tannins and a savoury edge that demands a second glass.
The 2022 vintage benefited from a cool, breezy February that slowed down the ripening, resulting in excellent acidity and depth of flavour. Organic farming, hand-picked grapes, and gentle winemaking have made this wine a benchmark for Nero d’Avola in Australia.
Perfect for those seeking adventure in their wine glass, the NDV is a must-try if you’re exploring Italian varieties on Aussie soil.
95 points
"A deeply brooding expression of nero, this is bristling with savoury flavour: black plum skin, olive, dried black cherry, panforte, amaro, chicory root, tobacco, roasted hazelnut, bitter coffee. Time on skins has built a formidable wall of tannin, but what a pleasure it is, the chewy, mouth-filling impact of long extraction of natural tannin, pressed judiciously and at a mindful point. It’s an imposing, almost imperious wine, with alcohol creeping up, but it all makes such perfect sense. It’s an impressively individual take on the variety. Bravo."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)
2021 Brash Higgins GR/M Grenache Mataro
The 2021 GR/M is Brash Higgins’ take on the classic Grenache-Mataro duo, and it’s a beauty. Crafted from biodynamically grown grapes sourced from the distinctive sandy soils of Blewitt Springs, this blend is a celebration of McLaren Vale’s fresher side, with that signature Brash punch.
Grenache makes up 70% of the blend, bringing those juicy red berry tones, while the Mataro (30%) adds structure, savoury spice, and a hint of dusty earthiness. The two varieties were handpicked together from Yangarra Estate, co-fermented wild for seamless integration, and then aged for 15 months in seasoned French puncheons to bring everything into balance.
Plush yet structured, it’s got that irresistible mix of soft texture and silty tannins that keeps you sipping. There’s a brightness to the finish—almost an amaro-like twist—that leaves you wanting more.
It’s a mid-weight, everyday drinker that’s just complex enough to make you pause and appreciate each sip. Whether you’re after something with a bit of polish or just a wine to share with mates, this GR/M has got you covered.
93 points
“Lots of cherry, sarsaparilla, aniseed, coffee beans, dark chocolate, mint and cinnamon going on. Soft textured with a haze of silty tannin lending some shape, a bright, amaro-like pleasingly bitter finish also a feature. Between hello and goodbye, a sense of ripeness but good balance, plush, medium weight and a well-hewn mesh of the two varieties. Lovely stuff all up.”
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)
2022 Brash Higgins CINS Cinsault
This has been a popular recent addition to the Brash Higgins range. Following on from Brad's pursuit of freshness in Cabernet Franc, here he picks up the lesser-known Rhone variety Cinsault and runs a similar course.
There are few varietal Cinsaults in McLaren Vale where Shiraz and Grenache take the lion's share off attention for Rhone varieties, but with wines like this entering the fray, there may be a few more popping up before you know it.
It's fragrant, supple and smooth. In many respects, it's a perfect red for warmer weather that is begging for a chill.
Brad didn't make much so you'll need to be quick if you want to snap up some of this beauty for yourself.
92 points
"This has mojo. It’s lightish and fresh, sure, a little plushness, some riper forest berry fruits in the mix, but most of this is rose hip tea, cranberry and pomegranate juice and all the friskiness of spice, alpine herbs and anise. A delight! Geez, this drinks a treat, so bright, so fun, a quiet complexity, a cinch of generosity and sunshiney warmth amongst the more vibrant fruit, but sum of parts and we have a winner of a plush, soft, easy drinking red of great character."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)
2021 Brash Higgins MCC Mataro Cinsault Carignan
Brad and Nicole from Brash Higgins have crafted something bright and dangerously drinkable with their 2021 MCC blend—a mix of Mataro, Cinsault, and Carignan that captures the sunny essence of McLaren Vale. This trio of Rhône varieties is here to show that the region is about more than just Grenache and Shiraz.
It all began in 2013 when Brash was asked what should be planted at a new vineyard. Their answer? Mataro, Cinsault, and Carignan—perfect for a climate reminiscent of Southern France. Grown in Michael Lennon’s sustainably farmed vineyard with cracking clay over limestone, this wine captures the earthiness and sun of McLaren Vale.
The 2021 MCC focuses on freshness and balance. The blend is dominated by whole-bunch Mataro, co-fermented with Cinsault and Carignan to achieve bright, peppery, and floral flavours. It’s supple, juicy, and easy-drinking, with cherry fruit from the Cinsault and a wild rose touch from the Carignan.
Mike Bennie called it a "super-slurper"—enough spice to keep you interested, but soft and supple enough for effortless drinking. Chill it down, share it with mates, and enjoy with something fun like yum cha. It’s Brash Higgins at its best—laid-back yet memorable, with just 13% alcohol and a lot of good times.
"I reckon you could say this is confidently styled as a just-shy of medium weight super-slurper, soft and sweet fruited, chillable (perhaps) red of easy drinking style. It doesn’t get out of second gear (enough complexity per se) or shape itself with an ideal of fancy tannin, but what’s hear is fragrant, gulpable, ribald red-blue-black fruited, spicy enough gear to please all comers and deliver an easy drinking experience. I’d love this with yum cha, was the word association that came to mind."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)
Customer Reviews
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