2025 Five Shillings

Barossa

Shiraz Mataro

Deep purple with crimson hues. Vibrant aromas of raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry are interwoven with white pepper, mace, nutmeg, crushed flowering herbs, bay leaf and subtle vanilla flower. A rich, plush and textural palate reveals layers of black plum, mulberry and dark forest fruits, framed by delicate spice and fine chalky tannins for a long, lingering finish.
$38.00
$38.00
Deep purple with crimson hues. Vibrant aromas of raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry are interwoven with white pepp...

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BACKGROUND

Five Shillings pays tribute to Paul Gotthard, second-generation Henschke winemaker and a member of the early Barossa Silesian community of South Australia. In 1862 he and his father, Johann Christian, established the Henschke winery in the high country of the Eden Valley’s historic North Rhine district, planted seven acres of vines, and in 1868 sold the first wines. In 1873, after a transfer of five shillings, he continued on the winemaking tradition from his father and began to build a reputation for quality wines. Among the first wines they produced in the 1860s were ‘dry white’ (likely made from riesling) and ‘dry red’ (likely made from shiraz and mataro). This wine replicates the blend of Gotthard’s early ‘dry reds’ and is produced from Eden Valley shiraz planted on red-brown earths derived from 540 million-year-old sediments, blended with mataro grown on the sandy soils of the Barossa Valley.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Varieties: Shiraz 71% Mataro 29%

Harvest Date: 24 - 26 March

Alcohol: 14.2%

Vintage Rating: Excellent vintage

Maturation: Matured in seasoned French oak hogsheads for 7 months prior to blending and bottling.

Cellaring Potential: 15+ years (from vintage)

VINTAGE

The 2025 growing season began under continued dry conditions, with below-average winter rainfall failing to replenish soil moisture. Unseasonably warm late-winter weather prompted an early budburst, followed by a devastating frost event in mid-September that caused widespread damage across much of South Australia. Remarkably, vine recovery exceeded expectations, with fruitful secondary buds forming bunches on new shoots. Although yields were expected to be low, they surpassed conservative estimates. Like spring, summer also arrived early, with a warming trend from mid-November laying the foundation for one of the hottest and driest seasons in living memory. Fortunately, early February saw only short bursts of heat. A return to high temperatures in early March accelerated ripening in red varieties, leading to harvest four weeks earlier than the historical average. Healthy canopies ensured excellent quality fruit, and the resulting wines show wonderful balance, flavour intensity, and great ageing potential.

TASTING NOTES

Five Shillings pays tribute to Paul Gotthard, second-generation Henschke winemaker and a member of the early Barossa Silesian community of South Australia. In 1862 he and his father, Johann Christian, established the Henschke winery in the high country of the Eden Valley’s historic North Rhine district, planted seven acres of vines, and in 1868 sold the first wines. In 1873, after a transfer of five shillings, he continued on the winemaking tradition from his father and began to build a reputation for quality wines. Among the first wines they produced in the 1860s were ‘dry white’ (likely made from riesling) and ‘dry red’ (likely made from shiraz and mataro). This wine replicates the blend of Gotthard’s early ‘dry reds’ and is produced from Eden Valley shiraz planted on red-brown earths derived from 540 million-year-old sediments, blended with mataro grown on the sandy soils of the Barossa Valley.

Varieties: Shiraz 71% Mataro 29%

Harvest Date: 24 - 26 March

Alcohol: 14.2%

Vintage Rating: Excellent vintage

Maturation: Matured in seasoned French oak hogsheads for 7 months prior to blending and bottling.

Cellaring Potential: 15+ years (from vintage)

The 2025 growing season began under continued dry conditions, with below-average winter rainfall failing to replenish soil moisture. Unseasonably warm late-winter weather prompted an early budburst, followed by a devastating frost event in mid-September that caused widespread damage across much of South Australia. Remarkably, vine recovery exceeded expectations, with fruitful secondary buds forming bunches on new shoots. Although yields were expected to be low, they surpassed conservative estimates. Like spring, summer also arrived early, with a warming trend from mid-November laying the foundation for one of the hottest and driest seasons in living memory. Fortunately, early February saw only short bursts of heat. A return to high temperatures in early March accelerated ripening in red varieties, leading to harvest four weeks earlier than the historical average. Healthy canopies ensured excellent quality fruit, and the resulting wines show wonderful balance, flavour intensity, and great ageing potential.

93 Points
"A wave of red licorice flavours come at you thick and svelte. It's a beautiful introduction to a moreish red wine. Floral notes, leathers, sage and earth notes play second fiddle to a core of red and black berried fruit. It's just the ticket. It's a treat."

CAMPBELL MATTINSON, CAMPBELLMATTINSON.COM

92 Points
"Long time darlings of the Barossa – Shiraz and Mataro (aka Mourvèdre) – get together and put on one delicious show. Time in aged French oak lends not so much an oak flavour but rather lays the textural groundwork for an impressive fruit presence – dark plums aplenty, blue fruits, blackberry and raspberry – punctured in well-seasoned spices, liquorice and a splash of black pepper. As it moves across the...

JENI PORT, WINEPILOT.COM