Henschke Cyril Henschke Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
- 96
- $195
- Drink by: 2025-2045
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The Cyril Henschke Cabernet is always a long, slow journey to a beguiling complexity. It can’t be rushed. Hence, while the 2021 is from an acknowledged exceptional vintage in the Eden Valley, a caveat must be applied to its drinking window. If you can wait, do so. Interestingly, just 1% Merlot has been added this vintage – 1%! You have to admire the bravery. That 1% must bring something, maybe an added lifted floral note, to the whole? A classic Cyril style, quiet to the point of being unassuming in its youth in scents of violet, iris, dried herbs, cassis and intense blackberry with a leafy bramble note. Once again, it is generous in ripe fruits but nicely underplayed, no use giving away everything too soon, and this vintage sees a tad less new French oak in play (8%). It offers depth on the palate, a rich core of black fruit intensity lifted in lovely spice and effortlessly dressed in fine tannins. It’s still very much in building mode. It will thank you for not twisting open the screw cap too soon.
Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.
