Classics Catalogue Release: January 7, 2021
• The following 2017 Henschke ‘Henry’s Seven’ is a blend of 73% shiraz/17% grenache/5% mataro/5% viognier grown in the Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley allowing it to use the ‘Barossa’ Geographical Indication (G.I.). It was named to honor Henry Evans who planted a seven-acre plot in Keyneton in 1853 and made wine considered the best in the southern colony. Unfortunately he died in 1868 and his wife, a virtuous woman with a temperance philosophy, ripped up all the vines.
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Henschke ‘Henry’s Seven’ 2017
Barossa, South Australia $49.95 (685578) 14.5% alcohol
Violets, red berry fruit and mixed spice intertwine with aromas of black juicy plum and notions of dark bramble berry, It coats the palate with flavours of strawberry and black raspberry mingling with black pepper and savoury notes and framed by excellent acidity riding a wave of passionfruit and red currant. This is medium-full bodied with silky-smooth texture, a firm, ripe tannin underpinning and replays of palate flavours on the dry, mouth-watering finish and aftertaste. Good to go now after a two-hour aeration/decant and on to 2035. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2015 Henschke ‘Keyneton Euphonium’ is primarily a shiraz blend with the following varietal components—66% shiraz/19% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot/5% cabernet franc grown in Eden Valley and the Barossa Valley. Wine matured in 80% seasoned and 20% new, 300-litre French hogshead barrels for 18 months before blended and bottled. An outstanding vintage, this extends its optimum drinking window between now, after a three-hour aeration/decant, and 2038.
Classics Catalogue Release: TBD 2020 - 2021
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Henschke ‘Keyneton Euphonium’ 2015
Barossa, South Australia $78.95 (407577) 14.5% alcohol
Alluring aromas of dark fruit—cherries, bramble berry and plum—mingle with vanilla, sprigs of savoury herbs and violets on the nose of this structured and complex, thing of beauty. It surges over the palate with creamy-smooth texture and a smorgasbord of flavour with black currant and black juicy cherry mingling with black pepper, sweet vanilla hints of blueberry and mocha. This is framed with good tang and acidity and underpinned by soft, ripe tannin. There’s persistent purity of fruit, good balance and a boatload of charm. It took great discipline to spit, rather than swallow. (Vic Harradine)
Previously Released
• The following wine—2015 Henschke ‘Cyril Henschke’ Cabernet Sauvignon—honors a truly outstanding Australian winemaking pioneer, present owner Stephen Henschke’s late father, Cyril Henschke (1924-1979). Cyril planted cabernet sauvignon vines in the Henschke Eden Valley vineyard in the 1960’s. Fruit for this wine was sourced from those vines that are now biodynamically managed. Wine matured in 80% seasoned and 20% new, 300-litre French hogshead barrels for 18 months before blended and bottled. An outstanding vintage, this extends its optimum drinking window between 2024 and 2040.
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Henschke ‘Cyril Henschke’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Eden Valley, South Australia $215.00 (426395) 14.5% alcohol
An involved nose of delightful aromas—dark berry and black cherry fruit intertwined with savoury herbs, mixed spice and sandalwood—abound. This is medium-full bodied with excellent mouthfeel and is balanced on a pin. It blankets the palate with a stunning mouthful of flavours—black currant, mixed herbs and spice, hints of blueberry and ripe mulberry mingling with espresso roast and vanilla. It’s underpinned by ripe, still-evolving tannin and showcases a monumentally lengthy finish and aftertaste. Open 2024 to 2040. (Vic Harradine)
Classics Catalogue Release: September 3. 2020
• The following 2014 Henschke Hill of Grace was sourced from 100% pre-phylloxera material brought from Europe by settlers in the mid-1800s and grown on the single-vineyard, ‘Hill of Grace’ in the ‘High Eden’ at approximately 400m. The now biodynamically farmed vineyard is located opposite a beautiful Lutheran church named after a region in Silesia called ‘Gnadenberg’, meaning, Hill of Grace. This wine was matured 18 months in 89% French and 11% American, 33% new and 67% seasoned—300-litre hogsheads. The Henschke’s borrow words of the Greek poet, Homer, to describe the Hill of Grace 2014 vintage, ‘Beauty — it was a glorious gift of nature.’ An excellent vintage, this extends its optimum drinking window between 2023 and +2040.
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Henschke ‘Hill of Grace’ 2014
Eden Valley, South Australia $1,130.00 (399675) 14.5% alcohol
Aromas of violets, black pepper, sage and savoury herbs interlace with black bramble berry and juicy black cherry. This is fresh and lively on the palate with a gusher of ripe bramble berry and blueberry flavour mingling and melding with gamy notes, savoury herbs, spice and an underpinning of fine, ripe tannin that extends, along with palate replays, through the lengthy, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. This has long life ahead that will repay patience; open between 2023 and +2040. (Vic Harradine)
Vintage Release Date: TBD
• The following 2017 Tilly’s Vineyard white blend—55% semillon/22%sauvignon blanc/12% pinot gris/6% chardonnay/5% riesling—was sourced in the Eden Valley and the Henschke Lenswood vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. It pays homage to great-aunt Ottilie Mathilde ‘Tilly’ Henschke and to most women of her era that worked the land, grew their own produce and raised a large family. The Lenswood vineyard in the Adelaide Hills was caught up with the fires that swept through there in early 2020. We tasted the wines below at Henschke not long after on March 12, 2020 and at that time they said some of the vines might survive. A real shame, if they don’t.
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Henschke ‘Tilly’s Vineyard’ 2017
Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills, South Australia $30.00 12.0% alcohol
Fruit for this wine was sourced from a standout vintage giving the bottled wine optimum drinking life until, at least, 2026. It’s pale-yellow hued with hints of green on the edges. Aromas of green savoury herbs and yellow peach mingle with citrus notes on the nose. A medium-bodied, creamy smooth wash of Key lime, yellow nectarine and lemon race across the palate with great élan. These flavours and their lively tang persist through the crisp and refreshing finish and aftertaste. Versatile at the table, pour with pan-seared fish or seafood under a squeeze of fresh lemon or lemon chicken. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2019 Henschke ‘Julius’ Riesling was named in honor of the present owner Stephen Henschke’s late, great-uncle, Julius Henschke, who was, and still is, known for his artistic prowess as an artist and sculpture. His most inspiring work is the War Memorial on North Terrace in Adelaide. Fruit for the following wine was sourced from the Eden Valley and from 100% Riesling with the majority from 50-year-old and even older estate, biodynamic-certified vines. This is the 28th vintage of this ‘Julius’ riesling.
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Henschke ‘Julius’ Riesling 2019
Eden Valley, South Australia $55.00 11.5% alcohol
This leaps from the glass with myriad aromas of floral notes, lemon-lime zest, sharp, flinty notes and exotic piquant spice. It races over the palate in a laser-like line of bracing acidity expressed in palate flavours with excellent tension—white grapefruit, saline notes and lime cordial. This medium-bodied, well textured gem has an extended life ahead, now to 2028 with careful cellar management in place. There is persistent purity of fruit and dry, crisp, thirst-quenching flavours throughout. Pour with duck confit or charcuterie board with a baguette. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2015 Henschke ‘Mount Edelstone’ Shiraz is sourced from a vineyard of vines originally supplied by James Busby who had sourced from some of the best shiraz vines in France including Hermitage. It was Ronald Angas who fell in love with French red wines who dreamed of this single-varietal vineyard of shiraz while studying at Oxford and planted it some 107 years before fruit for this wine was harvested from it. In 1952, 5th generation Colin Angas offered the fruit from this vineyard to his neighbour, 4th generation winemaker Cyril Henschke. And the rest, they say, is history.
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Henschke ‘Mount Edelstone’ Shiraz 2015
Eden Valley, South Australia $270.00 14.5% alcohol
This is rich, luscious and structured with great purity of fruit, balance and an über-lengthy finish. It opens with lifted aromas of savoury herbs, eucalyptus and a pleasant volley of fruit aromas with black currant, juicy dark Bing cherry interwoven with wisps of rose petals and cedar. The palate’s treated to a fully textured river of dark bramble berry, black cherry and blueberry decorated with dried herbs and black pepper. It finishes lengthy and luscious with good tang and acidity and firm, ripe tannin that almost melts in your mouth. This took great willpower to spit, rather than swallow. Drink now after a three-hour aeration/decant and on to +2040. (Vic Harradine)
Vintages Release: TBD
• The following 2018 Château Sainte-Marie ‘Vieilles Vignes - Source de Passion’ is a blend of 72% merlot/28% cabernet sauvignon sourced from estate vines in the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers that is family owned and managed by 4th generation vignerons.
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Château Sainte-Marie ‘Vieilles Vignes - Source de Passion’ 2018’
AOC Bordeaux Supérieur $16.95 13.0% alcohol
This deep ruby shaded Bordeaux blend bursts with ripe dark fruit aromas—cassis, blackberry— and a great deal of earthiness, plus just a hint of green bell pepper. Expect a food friendly rustic wine with concentrated cassis and black cherry flavour mingling with dark chocolate and allspice note persisting in the nice grippy finish and aftertaste. This will benefit from two hours decant/aeration and will pair perfectly with stuffed Portobello mushrooms or a well-seasoned rare strip loin on the grill. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2018 Château Peyredon ‘Lagravette’ Cru Bourgeois is one of the smallest Cru Bourgeois producing only 4000 cases. This vintage is a blend of 63% cabernet sauvignon and 37% merlot from 40-year-old estate vines. Wine spent 12 months in Acacia barriques, 1/3rd new before bottling. Drink now to 2028.
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Château Peyredon ‘Lagravette’ Cru Bourgeois 2018
AOC Haut Médoc, Bordeaux $21.95 13.0% alcohol
Boysenberry, black plum, sweet smoke, vanilla and a whisper of violet make-up the nose of this value-packed gem. It over-delivers on structure and black fruit concentration, complemented with raspberry tang and a lovely savoury-peppery note trailing in the long comforting dry finish. This medium-full bodied beauty has cellaring potential but is fantastic now with lamb chops on the grill. Aerate/decant two hours. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2018 Cantina del Giusto ‘Fontegrande’ Rosso is from a blend of primarily sangiovese and 10% canaiolo that fermented with natural malolactic conversion and batonnage for two weeks, then settled in stainless steel for ten months and further two months in bottle before release.
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Tenute Poggio Bonelli Chianti Classico 2017
DOCG Chianti Classico $24.95 14.0% alcohol
Lifted, alluring aromas of exotic incense, perfumed floral notes, piquant spice and dark berry fruit abound on this 90% sangiovese/10% merlot red blend. It blankets the palate with a lively, tang-infused wash of passion fruit and Montmorency cherry interwoven with soft ripe tannin and flavours of black plum and black bramble berry. This is medium-bodied with good mouthfeel and a finish that replays palate flavours with good length and balance. Pour this alongside pasta arrabiata or veal Marsala. (Vic Harradine)
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Tenute Poggio Bonelli Chianti Classico ‘Riserva’ 2017
DOCG Chianti Classico $29.95 14.0% alcohol
This opens with lifted, rich aromas of ripe black bramble berry fruit, floral notes and mocha. It glides over the palate with ease showcasing delectable palate flavours of racy black raspberry, black juicy Bing cherry and a most delicious rendition of dark, bittersweet chocolate. This is medium bodied with good texture and a lingering finish and aftertaste with excellent balance of full fruit flavour, oodles of tang and wisps of soft, ripe tannin. Pour on its own to be decadent, or with grilled rack of lamb to showcase your wine-pairing skill. (Vic Harradine)
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Vallepicciola Chianti Classico ‘Riserva’ 2016
DOCG Chianti Classico $34.95 14.5% alcohol
Deep-garnet hued, aromas of black licorice, black Rainier cherry and wisps of espresso roast abound. It sports a tang-laden, lively line of bracing acidity on entry to the palate with red currant and passion fruit to the fore. At mid-palate the riper, sweeter components kick in with black currant and ripe mulberry interlaced with drying tannin on the finish and aftertaste. It’s good to go now after a three-hour aeration/decant and really shines with butter tomato sauce pasta. (Vic Harradine)
The following 2016 Vallepicciola Chianti Classico ‘Lapina - Gran Selezione’ meets all the criteria for the new premium category for DOCG Chianti Classico wines. To date, only about 5% of DOCG Chianti Classico wine has been selected. Read more here.
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Vallepicciola Chianti Classico ‘Lapina - Gran Selezione’ 2016
DOCG Chianti Classico $49.95 14.5% alcohol
Über-dark and brooding in the glass, aromas of juicy black cherry and black currant intertwined with fennel and earthy notes. This rolls over the palate with flavourful waves of Ribena ©, black plum intertwined with sprigs of savoury herbs and racy tang. It’s medium bodied with good texture along with persistent purity of fruit, great balance and a lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour with meat and cheese laden lasagna or pasta puttanesca. (Vic Harradine)
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Cantina del Giusto ‘Fontegrande’ Rosso 2018
DOC Rosso di Montepulciano $16.95 14.5% alcohol
Muted at first, this beautiful Italian red discloses its personality with a vigorous swirl—purple plum, raspberry, fresh rose petal and a bright thyme note in the backdrop. It flows on the palate with lots of juicy black and red fruit flavours, excellent acidity, silky fine-grained tannin and no obvious sign of the high alcohol level. This is the bottle you’ll enjoy with charcuterie, red sauce pizza or stuffed bell peppers but you’ll want to save some or open a second one for after dinner sipping. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2018 Tenute Toscane (Tenuta Il Faggeto - Lupaio) Rosso is a blend of hand-harvested 90% prugnolo gentile, aka sangiovese/10% canaiolo sourced from vines at 400 m asl. It underwent full malolactic conversion then matured 6-8 months in oak barrel.
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Tenute Toscane ‘Tenuta Il Faggeto – Lupaio’ Rosso 2018
DOC Rosso di Montepulciano $18.95 13.5% alcohol
This presents with aromas of ripe blackberry, plum compote, forest floor and a layer of baking spice emerging with additional agitation. A softly-textured flow of ripe black fruit flavours and bright acidity travels the palate, suddenly progressing to a much chewier mouthfeel with earthy notes and a peppery kick, lifting the dry savoury finish. This medium-full bodied red will further evolve over the next three years but it is delicious now when paired with a grilled-rare marinated flank steak. Decant/aerate two hours. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2017 Cantina del Giusto ‘San Claudio II’ is an 85% sangiovese/10% canaiolo/5% mammolo red blend that underwent one month of fermentation and maceration and spontaneous malolactic conversion with frequent stirring for 15 days then transferred to stainless steel for six months then two years in large Slavonian oak casks then 3 months resting in bottle before release.
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Cantina del Giusto ‘San Claudio II’ 2017
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano $24.95 15.0% alcohol
Sangiovese attributes dominate on the nose of this Tuscan blend—black cherry, dark plum, cold tea and a dry oregano hint. An excellent integration of alcohol on the palate leaves all the space to cherry and blackberry flavours along with earthy and savoury notes and a suggestion of piquant cinnamon trailing in the finish and aftertaste. This excellent medium-full-bodied red will shine at the table with slowly-simmered meat or Italian sausages on the grill. Aerate/decant two hours before service. (Louise Boutin)
• The following 2015 Il Faggeto ‘Pietra del Diavolo’ is a blend of manually picked 90% prugnolo gentile aka sangiovese/5% canaiolo/5% mammolo sourced at 400 m asl. It matured for 24 months in 3000 L barrels then rested for an additional six in bottle before release.
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Il Faggeto ‘Pietra del Diavolo’ 2015
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano $24.95 14.0% alcohol
Expect a delectable complex nose—milk chocolate-covered black cherry, star anise, clove, leather and truffle—with this noble red irresistible to taste. This is full-bodied with evolved flavours of dry cherry, prune, roasted hazelnut and cocoa powder, all framed in firm yet ripe tannin. This is expertly balanced with a nice lingering finish pointing to dry fruit and savoury herb, the perfect combination to pair with aged cheese or grilled rack of lamb. (Louise Boutin)
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Tenuta Poggio Il Castellare Brunello di Montalcino 2015
DOCG Brunello di Montalcino $59.95 14.5% alcohol
This sports an alluring nose of rich ripe dark berry fruit, floral, mineral and gamy notes before gracing the palate with an elegant, balanced and sapid river of sweet, luscious flavours with bramble berry and cassis interlaced with excellent acidity and an underpinning of ripe tannin. It showcases an array of attributes—it’s wickedly lip-smacking delicious and was difficult to spit, it manages to be elegant and silky smooth yet rich and powerful at the same time and it’s delicious now after a three-hour decant and there’s a decade of life left with careful cellaring. (Vic Harradine)
• The following 2018 Cantina del Giusto ‘Fontegrande’ Rosso is from a blend of primarily sangiovese and 10% canaiolo that fermented with natural malolactic conversion and batonnage for two weeks, then settled in stainless steel for ten months and further two months in bottle before release.
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Château Dubraud 2016
AOC Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, France $17.95 12.5% alcohol
This 90% merlot/10% cabernet sauvignon red blend is light-ruby hued with aromas of red berry fruit, floral notes and exotic incense. It bathes the palate with a medium-bodied, nicely textured swath of smooth, mellow flavours with black plum and dark cherry intertwined with sprigs of savoury herbs and flecks of mocha persisting through the finish. It’s balanced on a pin with no rough edges, like enjoying the company of a long-time friend. Pour on its own or with zucchini boats or moussaka.
• The following 2016 Villa Montepaldi ‘Taglisfune’ is a unique blend of 80% sangiovese and 5% each of the following varieties: cabernet sauvignon/merlot/alicante/colorino. Florence University owns the estate from which hand-harvested fruit for this wine was sourced.
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Villa Montepaldi ‘Taglisfune’ 2016
DOCG Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy $22.95 14.0% alcohol
Aromas of violets, sandalwood and red berry fruit provide segue to a luscious and lively surge of ripe dark cherry, bramble berry interlaced with gorgeous lip-smacking tang and a hint of dark bittersweet chocolate. This is medium-plus bodied with generous mouthfeel and a lingering, balanced and beautiful finish and aftertaste. Pour alongside osso buco or grilled rack of lamb. (Vic Harradine)