Henschke Marble Angel 2022
- 94
- $80
- Drink by: 2025-2035
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The name comes, as the Henschke wines so often do, from family achievements, members and connections. In this case, great-uncle Julius was a renowned sculptor and created some of the famous headstones and angels in the Gnadenberg Cemetery (which sits next to an even more famous vineyard – Hill of Grace). Personally, I like to think that someone was also a fan of those angels from Dr Who, but I suspect that might be stretching things. The wine is a single vineyard 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines planted in the late 1970s at Light Pass in the Barossa Valley. It spent twenty months maturing in French oak hogsheads, 10% of which were new. Deep magenta in colour, there are ruby rims. The nose reveals notes of cigar boxes, spices, milk chocolate, raspberries, red cherries, dried herbs and tobacco leaves. While this is possibly a little more red fruited than one might expect from a Barossa Cabernet – but none the worse for that – it is exquisitely done. Seamless and balanced, bright acidity, a finely crafted texture, excellent length with focus and direction. Leave it for a couple of years and then enjoy it for the following decade.
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.
