Henschke 'The Wheelwright' Shiraz 2017

SKU
HEWS201712 UCAU
  • The new shiraz is a tribute to Henschke founder, Johann Christian Henschke, the first-generation winemaker, a skilled stonemason and wheelwright.
  • From the Henschke Eden Valley vineyard on Cranes Range Road,
  • crafted from low-yielding, un grafted, bio-dynamically-grown shiraz.
  • 1 or more bottles
    $130.00
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  • Decanter
    95 points
  • James Halliday'
    96 points
  • Joe Czerwinski
    96 points
  • James Suckling
    94 points
  • Mike Bennie
    92 points

Editors notes

The epitome of elegance with its sheen of silky, pure red fruits and lissome acidity, in 2017 this Eden Valley Shiraz is closer to Adelaide Hills geographically and in spirit. Medium-bodied, the beguiling strawberry and plum palate is delicately scented with pink peppercorn, coltsfoot, pine needle and black pepper. Subtle undertones of moss, twig and wattleseed draw you in further. Drinking beautifully now, with soft grainy tannins to the finish and lingering spice.

Drinking Window 2022 - 2037

Details

Tasting Profile

  • Light (Light)
    Full (Full)
  • Low Tannin (Low Tannin)
    Tannic (Tannic)
  • Sweet (Sweet)
    Dry (Dry)
  • Low Acidity (Low Acidity)
    High Acidity (High Acidity)
  • Aroma
    • Blackberry
    • Blueberry
    • Pepper
  • Palate
    • Blackberry
    • Fruit Cake
    • Tobacco

Food Pairings

  • Pork
  • Red Meat

Critic Scores & reviews

  • Decanter

    95
    "The epitome of elegance with its sheen of silky, pure red fruits and lissome acidity, in 2017 this Eden Valley Shiraz is closer to Adelaide Hills geographically and in spirit. Medium-bodied, the beguiling strawberry and plum palate is delicately scented with pink peppercorn, coltsfoot, pine needle and black pepper. Subtle undertones of moss, twig and wattleseed draw you in further. Drinking beautifully now, with soft grainy tannins to the finish and lingering spice. Drinking Window 2022 - 2037"
  • James Halliday's Wine Companion

    96
    "Eden Valley estate fruit, planted in 1968 and matured in 10% new oak (95/5% French/American) hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending. Notes of mulberry, blueberry and redcurrant flit above the bass tones of dark and black berries, cut with spice, licorice, dark chocolate, sage and a scattering of brambly, briar-like notes. Graceful red fruits and spice feature on the palate which, like all Henschke wines, shows detail and elegance with perhaps a little more red fruit coming through. The balance and clarity of form impresses greatly."
  • Joe Czerwinski

    96
    "puts Eden Valley's spicy-herbal-savory complexities on full display. Scents of licorice, bay leaf, mint and rosemary accent cherry and redcurrant notes on the nose, giving it an almost medicinal edge. The cooler, later vintage seems to have accentuated those herbal nuances and lessened the overall scale and richness of the wine. It's still medium to full-bodied, silky and intriguingly complex, with a lingering finish and plenty of longevity ahead of it."
  • James Suckling

    94
    "This has a very elegant feel with sultry and earthy tones, as well as white pepper, raspberry and redcurrant aromas. Spicy and vivid. There’s freshness and elegance to the quite refined and fine-boned palate, as well as a peppery edge. Fine tannins hold fresh and long. Drink over the next six years. Screw cap."
  • Mike Bennie

    92
    "This comes from the Cyril Henschke, 1960s planted vineyard. A couple of special blocks of shiraz. “2017 is a great year for vineyard expression”, offers Stephen Henschke in a quip. Riddled with exotic spice, earth, dried herbs, undergrowth, dark cherry and plummy fruit underlying. Feels lively to taste, a fresh, succulent flow of inky, dark fruit, more of the spice, almost tactile and piquant with a cavalcade of salted black olives, cherry sweetness, and mulchy, leafy herbs too. Open weave tannins, soft, a little gummy and puckering to finish; a bit one speed, but pleasing. Something compelling here, no doubt"

Other vintages

Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.

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Locations

Australia

Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.

Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.

Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.

With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.

South Australia

If you like Australian wine, then you probably like South Australia wine. The rich reds produced there put Australia on the wine-making map of the world. With over 40% of the country's vineyards, South Australia can rightfully call itself the wine state.

Wines are produced in several regions throughout the state, though many are naturally grouped together, like Barossa and Eden Valleys, only 15 minutes apart. They include such regions as Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, The Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale and Wrattonbully to name but a few!

Barossa Valley boasts some of the oldest vines in Australia dating back to 1843 and produces some of the world's finest Shiraz, whilst the 'terra rossa' soils of Coonawarra is most suited to producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons. If you're a fan of Riesling, Clare Valley is a great place to explore and for a Maritime climate not dissimilar to parts of the Italian coastline, seek out the wines from McLaren Vale.

Eden Valley

Eden Valley is a cool climate wine region between 400 and 600m up the Barossa range, to the east of the warmer Barossa Valley. It is of a similar size to Barossa Valley, but given the altitude and cooler climate, Eden Valley is reknowned for producing high quality Riesling and Shiraz. Due to its cool climate, small portions of cooler Eden Valley fruit are often blended with 'sister' wines from the Barossa Valley.

The cooler climate provides optimum conditions for long, slow ripening of the grapes, which generally retain acidity and developing complex flavours on the vine. The townships sub regions include Keyneton in the east, Truro in the north and Mt Pleasant in the south and High Eden, located even higher up the Barossa Ranges, with even cooler temperatures.

The soils of the region is generally nutrient poor yellow podzolic/sandy & pink quartz soils over decomposed (gneiss) granite. With its rocky outcrop, which extends to the soild, most irrigation is provided by dams, and most vineyards plant their vines close together. When compared to Clare Valley, Eden Valley is slightly higher in altitude and a little cooler, though has similar sunshine hours, but lower levels of continentality.

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About the brand Henschke

Stephen and his wife Prue are the fifth generation in the Henschke family, who have been making wine since 1868, and are passionate in keeping the family name, origins and reputation. Henschke is viewed as the best medium-sized red wine producer in Australia and is given a 5-star rating by James Halliday.

It has 4 vineyards in the Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and Adelaide regions. Many wines produced here are from Shiraz grapes, but there are also wines and blends from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Franc, Semillon, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Gris and Muscat. Henschke is best known for a Shiraz based wine first produced in the 1958 vintage called 'Hill of Grace'. In 2005, it was classified as "Exceptional", the highest ranking in Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine.

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