Henschke Hill of Roses Shiraz 2017

This is a bit like the salmon John West rejects that makes John West the best. This comes from the Hill of Grace vineyard, but from vines that are too young – some of these are pretty old – to be considered for Hill of Grace. It gets nearly two years in French oak and is bottled as a separate wine. Super concentrated yet with a lightness of touch and effortless floating palate that pulls itself together to focus through to a long finish. One of the best yet under this label. Mix of sage and rosemary with a lift of chocolate and dark plum. The tannins have a chalky minerality and the oak is deeply integrated yet it places a key role in its contribution to the structure. There is a delightful purity and brightness here.