first winemakers to produce single-vineyard wines from Eden Valley . It is now undeniably one of Australia ’ s greatest shiraz wines ( and there is a lot of competition here ). Made from 100 % shiraz grapes , I personally love this wine . It is a wine that would almost certainly come in my top ten wines of all time . There is wonderful depth of colour , concentration of flavour , silky tannins and beautiful balance in this wine . I am currently still enjoying the 2005 vintage of this great wine – ripe blackcurrants , blackberries , black cherry , blueberries , a bit of herb , a touch of spice / pepper ; great finesse and elegance . Awesome wine . Often now in the region of £ 120 / £ 125 a bottle , depending on vintage and availability . Special wine for a special occasion .
Cyril Henschke
Here we move away from shiraz and to cabernet sauvignon ( actually a blend with cabernet sauvignon dominating , normally with smaller quantities of cabernet franc and / or merlot added , depending on the vintage ). As a tribute this cabernet sauvignon label carries the name Cyril Henschke who planted cabernet sauvignon at Eden Valley in the 1960s . Deep crimson , red hues , blackcurrant , violets , mint , cassis , spice , herbs , a touch of cigar box , tobacco and , with age , balanced dusty tannins . This is a classy , silky , wine with great aging potential . I am actually still enjoying the early 2000 vintages of this wine . Again , depending on vintage and availability , we are in the £ 85 / £ 90 a bottle region here .
Henschke Euphonium Keyneton Estate
This is a beautiful blend of old vine shiraz from the Eden and Barossa Valleys , with cabernet sauvignon , merlot and cabernet franc from selected vineyards in both regions . The name Euphonium comes from the fact that the Barossa hills village of Keyneton has a musical history and was home to both the Henschke Family Brass Band and the Henschke winery . Again , a dark crimson wine , red currants , blue berries , plums , cassis , cedar , spice , herbal nuances . With a nose of dark forest fruits this is a lush , elegant , wine with well-integrated and velvety tannins . Depending on the vintage , normally in the £ 35 - £ 40 a bottle range .
Julius Riesling
Made from 100 % riesling grapes we find a green , almost gold / straw coloured wine . Named after an ancestor , Julius Henschke ( an artist and sculptor ), this lovely riesling has a lovely fragrant nose , wonderful minerality , citrus ( particularly lime ) to the fore and great depth . The wine has great balance and a crisp and lasting finish . It is , yet again , a tremendous wine that will , again depending on vintage and availability set you back somewhere in the region of £ 25 a bottle .
Tilly ’ s Vineyard Dry White
This is an aromatic blend and is named as a tribute to Stephen ’ s great-aunt Ottilie Mathilde ‘ Tilly ’ Henschke . The predominant grape is Semillon and , depending on the vintage , is blended with various quantities of sauvignon blanc , chardonnay , pinot gris and even riesling and the very occasional splash of gewürztraminer . It is fragrant , fresh , pale in colour with lovely fruit notes ( think gooseberry , grapefruit , peach , lemon , melon ). The sauvignon blanc in the blend gives the wine some lovely grassy notes too . Normally around the £ 15 / 16 a bottle mark – great in the middle of summer whilst you are waiting for the charcoal on your barbeque to get up to temperature !
The Valediction
I have referred , in my list of five wines , to Henschke ’ s ‘ Hill of Grace ’. It is truly an iconic wine , the world over , and currently ( if you can get hold of it ) is on sale for anywhere up to £ 450 a bottle ! That , however , tells its own story . You get in life what you pay for ! With all Henschke ’ s wines you get what you pay for – quality and a world renowned brand .
I guess when we talk about watches people refer to the likes of Rolex , Hublot , Patek Philippe and Breitling . When we talk about cars people refer to the likes of Rolls Royce , Ferrari , Bugatti and Aston Martin . When people talk about shoes , then the likes of Stuart Weitzman , Louis Vuitton , Gucci , Jimmy Choo and Alexander McQueen pop up in conversation . When we talk about fine wine – the name Henschke is very definitely on the same sort of list .
It is hardly surprising that Henschke has won many prestigious awards and accolades over many years . It is testament to a family that has pushed the boundaries of fine wine making for some 150 years now – and with no end in sight . With the fifth and sixth generation of the same family at the helm the story , the history and the fine wine will , thankfully , continue .
If you want to learn more about the wonderful Henschke history and it wonderful wines visit their equally impressive website at www . henschke . com . au .
The bottom line can simply be stated . Henschke are wine royalty ! Search out their wines – there is something for everyone ! wirrallife . com 31