Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

This wine carries the name of Stephen’s father, Cyril Henschke (1924-1979), as a tribute to one of Australia’s outstanding winemaking pioneers, renowned for old-vine single-vineyard and quality varietal table wines. Cyril planted cabernet sauvignon at the Henschke Eden Valley vineyard in the 1960s. The cabernet sauvignon vines, along with cabernet franc and merlot, are planted on a north facing slope, grown using organic and biodynamic practices. This wine celebrates the incredible beauty that emerges from the vibrant rows of the Eden Valley vineyard, revered for its texture, depth, complexity and fine-grained tannins.

The wine is beautifully perfumed, though there is oak influence evident at this early stage which is integrating well and is finely balanced. Florals, raspberries, tobacco leaves, cherries, cigar box notes and bay leaves. There is excellent length here, good focus and fine acidity. The structure is exemplary though at the moment, there is a fragility to the wine. It is exquisitely pretty. Aniseed and cherry notes are to the fore on the palate and there are such soft tannins. A gentle sour plum character is sitting right at the end of the very long finish. Drink over the next twenty years. Drink: 2023-2043. 97 PTS, Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot.

A blend of organic/biodynamically farmed 99/1% cabernet sauvignon/merlot from the Cyril Henschke vineyard in the Eden Valley from the outstanding 2021 vintage. A beautiful bright magenta/crimson in the glass with a pretty, lifted aromatic profile. Plum, blackberry and blackcurrant with notes of sage, bay leaf, dried herbs, violets and crushed stone. Fruit pure and detailed with a very long, graceful finish and superfine, powdery, granitic tannins. A wonderful release for the Cyril Henschke.

96 PTS, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion.

Intense, focused, powerful and yet elegant, this is medium-full bodied and far from a blockbuster, but has concentrated cabernet flavour that draws out neatly in a really long aftertaste. A top-notch cabernet with years ahead of it. 96 PTS, Huon Hooke, The Real Review.