Henschke Keyneton Euphonium 2018

A blend from the Barossa of Shiraz (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Merlot (3%), this wine is from the great vintage of 2018. It spent 18 months in a mix of new (20%) and older (80%) oak hogsheads, themselves a mix of 71% French and 29% American, before blending and bottling. The Henschke family has always been well known as a musical family – there was once even the Henschke Family Brass Band (yet to see the movie of the family escaping over the mountains but who knows…) – and one of their instruments was the euphonium. A B flat euphonium, to be precise (and no, I have no idea of the difference between a B flat euphonium and any other sort of euphonium or even what a euphonium is). Hence, the name. But we digress and this wine deserves better than that.

The Shiraz comes from vines, up to a half century in age, from both the Barossa and Eden Valleys, while the remaining grapes are also a mix of both regions. Black/purple in colour, the nose exudes concentrated notes of cassis and blackberries. There are warm earth tones, mocha, coffee grinds and licorice. A hint of fresh blueberries. Good focus with considerable tannins but they are soft, and supple, and help carry the wine to its lingering and persistent finish. Chocolate notes come to the fore as it nears its end. When we say that this will age and improve for ten to fifteen years, we really mean longer than that but if you do say so, some may feel that they’ll need to wait too long for it and I would hate to put anyone off. One of the best Euphoniums I can recall (of the vinous kind, at least).