Henschke Five Shillings 2021
- 94
- $35
- Drink by: 2022-2032
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A Shiraz Mataro blend from the Barossa, which is named in honour of Paul Gotthard Henschke, a second-generation Henschke winemaker (you’d swear the family would have run short of ancestors to honour by now but they just keep finding more). He and his father, Johann Christian, are responsible for the establishment of the winery and planted their first seven acres. They received five shillings for the wines. It is thought that the wines were most probably a dry Riesling and a blend of Shiraz and Mataro, replicated here. From the wonderful 2021 vintage, the blend is 76% Shiraz and 24% Mataro. The wine spends ten months in oak hogsheads, 5% new and 95% seasoned, and a mix of 86% French and 14% American. So what we have here is one more fabulous wine from the 2021 vintage, but perhaps more importantly a glimpse into the future. Down the track, the Henschke big guns from this vintage should rival the best they have ever made.This wine is opaque maroon in colour with a nose full of spices, black fruits, black tea notes, cloves, plums, black olives, leather and even a hint of blueberries. The palate moves more to licorice and mocha, though still with cloves to the fore. Good concentration and oak integration – in other words, nary a sign of any. Amazing length here. Abundant but reasonably soft tannins. Good focus. This should age well for at least 8 to 10 years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
