Henschke Tappa Pass 2022

If someone said to me, pick a Henschke wine to drink tonight, any wine. Well, one would be a blithering idiot not to opt for Hill of Grace, but I would not be at all unhappy if this was the choice. It is, year after year, always a favourite among some exceptional wines. 100% Shiraz from 70-year-old vines, 68% Eden Valley and 32% Barossa. Maturation was for twenty months in French oak hogsheads, 10% new. From a top vintage, this will surely rank among the very best Tappa Pass that the Henschkes have released – and that is saying something! A vibrant maroon hue, the nose suggests a complete wine, utterly harmonious. There is focus, a seductive and seamless structure, an alluring and beguiling texture, impeccable balance and immense length. At the conclusion, there are silky tannins, though they seem to almost disappear on contact. Notes of cassis emerge on the palate. A wine with real persistence, this has twenty years ahead of it, if needed. Stunning.