Henschke Sass The Tailor 2024

A wine tailored to the past and working towards the future, Sass takes six white grape varieties from two wine regions and matures them in a mix of maturation vessels, including the odd amphora. It’s a wild, field blend of sorts that works so well particularly as it pursues depth of flavour with a wonderful concentrated fruit presence. Texturally, too, it shines. Pinot Gris and Chardonnay take the lead roles with the mostly aromatic bunch of grape varieties coming from the Adelaide Hills and the Eden Valley. While the delicate scent is all about the aromatics, spice and citrus, the palate brings more weight and a touch more of a Chardonnay feel with nectarine, white peach and melon infiltrating citrus, quince and Asian pear notes. A gentle, integrated texture flows easily across the palate with a hint of almond meal bringing a warm creaminess. Beautifully balanced, it finishes with a touch of clean phenolic grip. The use of the cocciopesto amphorae, a traditional vessel used by the early Romans and made of ground bricks, stone and sand, is an interesting addition to the winemaking.

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