RRP:
|Dark crimson with violet hues. Alluring aromas of raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, violets and vanilla flower, with lifted notes of anise, bay leaf, cedar, black pepper and sandalwood. A complex and elegant palate of Satsuma plum, mulberry, blackberry, sage and savoury spices, balanced by bright acidity and fine-grained tannins for a long fruit-driven finish.
3 Bottle limit
Product Information
- Vintage
- 2019
- Grape variety breakdown
100% shiraz grown on The Wheelwright Vineyard on the Henschke Eden Valley property, managed with organic and biodynamic practices.
- Technical Details
- Alcohol: 14.5% | pH:
3.64
| Acidity:5.9g/L
| Volume: 750mls
- Harvest Date
20 – 22 March
- Maturation
Matured in 21% new and 79% seasoned (65% French, 35% American) oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.
- Background
The Wheelwright, first released to commemorate 150 years of Henschke family winemaking, pays tribute to our founder, winemaker Johann Christian Henschke. He was among the first generation of the early German Silesian community of the Barossa in South Australia and established the family winery in 1868. Johann Christian arrived as a skilled stonemason and wheelwright and planted his first vineyards in the high country of the picturesque Eden Valley. This wine is produced from old vine shiraz planted in 1968, a century later, by fourth-generation Cyril Henschke near the village of Eden Valley at 470m altitude. As per the Barossa Old Vine Charter, an ‘old vine’ is equal to or greater than 35 years of age.
- Cellaring potential
Exceptional vintage; 30+ years (from vintage).
- Serving Temperature
17°C
Vintage Description
A mild and dry winter, followed by a dry and windy spring, saw frost events in September and November that disrupted budburst and young shoot growth. A hailstorm in late November impacted the fresh young shoots carrying the crop, with shiraz the most affected. Warmer than average temperatures in January and February, including the hottest summer’s day on record, led to the advancement of maturity and early onset of vintage. Warm weather in late summer maintained low disease pressure and small berry size, providing optimal ripening conditions. Despite miniscule yields, 2019 was a high-quality vintage with beautiful expressions of varietal character, good structure and excellent flavour intensity. The 2019 vintage will be remembered as a challenging season where regenerative viticulture and organic and biodynamic practices were vital to nurturing the health of the Henschke vineyards through an exceptionally warm and dry year.
Recommended Food Pairing