Henschke Single Vineyard Wine Releases 2021: the Hype for These Wines is (rightfully) Deafening

All of it feels a little bit bit just like the preliminaries are over and the primary bout is commencing.

For a lot of Australian winemakers and wine lovers, throughout most of South Australia, 2021 is one among, if not the best vintages but skilled. The early clues got here within the type of scintillating Riesling from the Eden and Clare Valleys and was quickly adopted by an infinite parade of fantastic wines, reds, and whites, at each value level.

Naturally, the overwhelming majority have been and gone, a lot of it consumed. Anybody severe about Australian wine who doesn’t have a variety of circumstances from this nice yr of their cellar will come to remorse it.

Lastly, we come to the large weapons. Prefer it or not, a lot of the main focus remains to be on wines like Penfolds Grange and Henschke’s Hill of Grace, that the fame of a classic can rise or fall on these wines alone. For a classic like this, the hype for these wines is close to deafening.

Henschke ‘The Wheelwright’ Winery, Eden Valley, South Australia

Speaking with a couple of wine-writer colleague, the overall consensus was that, though scoring could be a blight on assessing wines, if both of those wines are awarded many scores under 99 or 100 then the wine, whereas not essentially a failure, could have fallen in need of expectations.

It may appear a relatively heavy cross to bear however it’s one which Henschke and Penfolds have created for themselves.

Grange might be revealed within the subsequent few months (time of writing), though a lucky few have type of seen a preview – the fabulous La Chapelle/Grange 2021 mix, however that’s one other story.

Stephen, Johann, and Andreas-Henschke tasting the 2024 classic juice from an open high fermenter

Normally, we might not count on to see Hill of Grace and its brethren for one more yr, the Henschkes giving the wines 5 years earlier than launch. The miniscule and problematic vintages of 2019 and 2020, the place they made hardly quite a lot of buckets of wines like Hill of Grace, have meant a market clamoring for an early launch.

Prue Henschke including bio-compost to an previous vine on the Hill of Grace winery

The standard and approachability of 2021, in addition to a return to a extra customary amount (one thing that the following years have additionally supplied), meant that they felt snug in decreasing the discharge to 4 years (Penfolds did the identical with Grange not so way back). No last choice but, however it’s more likely to keep this fashion in future.

For these questioning in the event that they blinked and missed 2020, no, you didn’t. 2020 was so small that the choice was made to not launch it, however relatively to cellar it for the Museum and Uncommon program.

The 2021 wines might be launched worldwide on Wednesday Could 7^th

Henschke 2021 Single-Winery launch wines

The Tastings –

Costs are UK/A$. All wines are actually below Stelvin closures (screw caps). Whereas the crew have been instrumental in selling using vino-lock for his or her wines, the price and environmental footprint of bringing the bottles and closures all the best way from Europe, relatively than utilizing Aussie bottles, was an excessive amount of.

It’s also value noting that these notes have been taken very shortly after the wines have been opened. It was notable that in each occasion, when given time – first, a few hours after which over the following day or two – the wines opened up, changing into much more approachable, much more extraordinary. For me, this was most pronounced with the Cyril Henschke, nevertheless it utilized to all of them.

Henschke ‘Cyril-Henschke’ 2021 classic

Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($195/£150) – Named after Stephen’s father, Cyril was 4^th era and instrumental in setting the route for what was to return. He led the cost to single winery, single varietal wines, one thing not in style again in his day. It’s a little ironic maybe that, of all of those status wines, that is the one one not a solo varietal, though on this classic, the Cabernet Sauvignon is joined by simply 1% Merlot (the winery can present Cab Franc and Merlot, along with the core Cabernet). First made in 1978, that is the 42^nd launch, there being no 2011 and 2017.

Henschke ‘Cyril-Henschke’ 2021 classic

One is straight away struck by the evocative nostril with notes of chocolate, blackberries, tobacco leaves, aniseed, a touch of gum leaf, roast meats, black cherry and only a contact of high quality Cuban cigars (a mature Partagas Lusitania, if pushed, however that is likely to be a tad particular). A agency and well-structured wine, with stability, punchy acidity and barely grippy tannins.

Fairly seamless, there’s severe depth, and the wine remains to be very younger, maybe a little bit too younger. Go away it for 2 to 3 years earlier than this after which drink over the next ten to fifteen years. Or give it as a lot time opened right into a decanter as you may. In a single day wouldn’t be a difficulty. 95.

Henschke ‘The Wheelwright Shiraz 2021 classic

The Wheelwright Shiraz 2021 ($160/£125) – A relative newcomer to the portfolio, that is simply the 7^th launch of this Shiraz. It’s from vines in extra of fifty years of age, from a winery within the cooler sector of the Mount Lofty Ranges within the Eden Valley, which sits at round 500 metres above sea stage (Mt Edelstone and Hill of Grace are each round 400 metres).

Henschke ‘The Wheelwright Shiraz 2021 classic

This wine has such an thrilling nostril, with a mixture of crimson fruits but additionally redolent of black cherry pie. There may be early complexity right here and this appears not not like consuming silk. Such projection, finesse and immaculate stability. Because the wine opens up, we see extra notes of mocha, delicatessen meats, bay leaves, woodsmoke, cassis and licorice.

As with all these wines, the oak is so deftly dealt with that it’s virtually clear. The sleekest of tannins right here, this can be a wine which lingers with intent. Full – there’s not a lot as a hiccup. Twenty years, for those who should, straightforward. 97.

Henschke’s Mount-Edelstone winery in Eden Valley, South Australia

Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2021 ($275/£175) – One among Australia’s most well-known wines, it too usually falls below the shadow of Hill of Grace, however that it has been round for even longer. The winery was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, descended from George Fife Angas, one of many founders of South Australia. That is the 69^th launch, having been first bottled in 1952 (there was no 2011).

Henschke ‘Mount-Edelstone’ 2021 classic

The Henschkes see this wine as their “most common Eden Valley model”. It’s the generosity of this wine that makes probably the most placing impression. Plush, approachable, ripe, simply sheer class. There are aromas of aniseed, sage, bay leaves, chocolate, black fruits, soy, cloves and beef inventory.

The palate sees extra strawberry notes emerge. Seamless, with a pleasant line of recent acidity and a lingering end, it’s the seductive creamy texture which stands out. This can be a wine vibrating with promise, strolling the tightrope between finesse and energy. Time within the glass noticed the perfumes actually explode forth. Twenty to thirty years, standing on its head. 98.

Henschke ‘Hill of Roses’ 2021 classic

Hill of Roses Shiraz 2021 ($485/£350) – While it’s a uncommon wine, and all the time wonderful, I’ll confess to questioning if it deserved its relatively elevated price ticket in some vintages. Not this time. The very best Hill of Roses I’ve tasted. A surprising wine, which received higher and higher with time open.

Plantings are from the Put up Workplace Block, a part of the Hill of Grace winery and a mass choice from 1989, the primary classic launched was 2001 (no 2003, 2011, 2014, 2019 and 2020 was made).

That is the place the grapes that hope, in the future, to be included in Hill of Grace develop. There has all the time been a familial hyperlink, the winery’s DNA for those who favor, however for me, it has by no means been as clearly chiselled as it’s right here. That is the wildly exuberant teenager; HoG is the grownup.

Henschke ‘Hill of Roses’ 2021 classic

The nostril merely explodes from the glass – cassis, cocoa powder, mocha, graphite, mulberries and beefstock. The stability is so exemplary that one doesn’t even discover it. Seamless and stylish, the tannins listed here are delicate silk. An astonishing wine of nice size which is able to present pleasure for the perfect a part of three a long time. 99.

Hill of Roses and Hill of Grace on the Henschke vineyards in Eden Valley, South Australia

Hill of Grace Shiraz 2021 ($1,000/£675) – The 60^th launch of this well-known wine. A few years down the monitor, count on this to take a seat amongst the best the winery has given us. This well-known previous winery in Eden Valley subsequent to the fantastic and scenic Lutheran church, was planted again round 1860, with pre-phylloxera materials introduced out by a household ancestor, Nicolaus Stanitzki. The primary classic was 1958. Hill of Grace was not made in 1960, 1974, 2000 and 2011.

Henschke ‘Hill of Grace’ 2021 classic

If the go mark is an ideal or close to good rating, this walks it in. There may be a few of that exuberance we noticed within the Hill of Roses, however that is extra severe, extra intense, concentrated and sophisticated. Now we have tobacco leaves, cassis (one observe I made was that it was like an alcoholic cassis smoothie), sage, black fruits, dried herbs, aniseed, and a contact of forest ground.

Henschke ‘Hill of Grace’ 2021 classic

Knife-edge stability, unbelievable size, that creamy and seductive texture, silk tannins – that is an incredible wine which greater than lives as much as the hype. Properly cellared examples ought to present immense pleasure over the following forty to fifty years. 100.

For extra data, please go to www.henschke.com.au/collections/shop-all

You possibly can observe extra of Ken Gargett’s critiques at www.kenfessions.com

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