Henschke Johann’s Garden Grenache Mataro 2023

With its deep black fruits, dark spices, earthiness and serious structure, Johann arrives with a real sense of serious intent. The cool, wet lead up to vintage ’23 saw good acid retention which can be noted in the wine’s structure, something which should help it age particularly well. The maker suggests 15-plus years from vintage. Barossa Valley Grenache (60%) and Mataro (40%) release some lovely ripe black cherry, dark plum fruits across the palate in tandem with dark spices, anise, juniper, crushed herbs, red earth and tantalising florals of violet and peppercorn. Fine tannins offer a seamless smooth run across the tongue. It’s a fully integrated wine, fruit-filled and beautifully spicy with Grenache-led cinnamon, clove and a dark earthiness.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

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.

Wine writer and critic