Henschke Keyneton Euphonium Shiraz Cabernet Franc Merlot 2020 (Biodynamic) ~ Barossa Valley, South Australia

96/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review
93/100 The Wine Front
95/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review (2019 vintage)
95/100 Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal (2019 vintage)
95/100 Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
94/100 Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion (2019 vintage)
95/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
94/100 Ken Gargette, Wine Pilot (2019 vintage)
94/100 Ray Jordan (2019 vintage)
93/100 CellarTracker (2019 vintage)
92/100 The Wine Front (2019 vintage)
97/100 Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal (2018 vintage)
95/100 Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion (2018 vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot (2018 vintage)
95/100 Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot (2018 vintage)
95/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
95/100 Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage)
94/100 Stuart Knox, The Real Review (2018 vintage)
93/100 Decanter (2018 vintage)
92/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2018 vintage)
91/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
90/100 The Wine Front (2018 vintage)

Silver - Royal Adelaide Wine Show
Top Gold - Barossa Wine Show (2019 vintage)
Silver - Barossa Wine Show (2018 vintage)
Silver - The TEXSOM International Wine Awards (2017 vintage)
Silver - International Wine Awards (2016 vintage)
Silver - The TEXSOM International Wine Awards (2016 vintage)

Halliday Wine Companion Wine Awards 2021 'Winery of the Year'

Biodynamic

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Deep ruby red from core to rim. Blackberry, tobacco leaf and pencil shaving aromatics. Medium to full with a seamlessly gliding nature as it rolls with black and blue fruits, graphite and wood shaving characters. An elegance to its flow that belies its persistent tannins and intensity of fruit. Lingers for an eternity at the finish. A very stylish and classic example of the great Australian blend, shiraz and cabernets."

Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Dark, inky and opaque in the glass. Really juicy, dark fruited aromas of plum conserve, blackcurrant pastilles, sweet spice and mocha, there's a lift of violets in there as well. Full flavoured, ripe and opulent, there's a richness of dark fruit flavours here, plum, mulberry, blackberry and a touch of choc mint. Firm, textured tannins and lively acidity temper the plush fruit and provide mouth-feel and cut. Smart gear." (2019 vintage)

Andrew Caillard MW, The Vintage Journal "Very attractive with powerful fresh dark plum, blackcurrant, chocolate, dark cherry, with roasted chestnut savoury notes. Blackberry pastille, musky plum, coffee grounds oak and firm tannins. Finishes minerally, long and well-balanced. Still quite elemental but with beautiful fruit definition. " (2019 vintage)

Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast "This Shiraz-dominated Bordeaux blend from one of Australia's most historic wineries is an aromatic and detailed wine that offers more upfront appeal than the more cellar-worthy bottles. Red berries, tomato, spiced vanilla-mocha, bay leaf, mushroom and ground pepper comprise the oh-so-Henschke nose. There's power and richness on the palate, buoyed by a clean line of acidity. Spicy, chalky tannins are well placed amidst the luscious fruit. Drink now with decanter at hand until 2034."

Ken Gargette, Wine Pilot "A plummy purple colour, we have notes of spices, herbs, hints of leather, aniseed, bay leaves, mulberries and a lovely core of chocolate…Firm, abundant tannins. Good focus here and impressive length. This is a ten year plus proposition…" (2019 vintage)

Ray Jordan "There always seems to be a distinctive earthy vineyard character in this blend of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. The oak is a mix of new and seasoned largely French with 20% American. Earthy blackcurrant fruit with a little licorice and dark plum. It’s a chewy and slightly meaty wine of excellent depth and concentration while retaining impeccable balance. Let it breathe even as a youngster to release those beautiful fruit characters." (2019 vintage)

Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion "Deep crimson. Blackcurrant, blood plum and blackberry fruits with hints of baking spices, vanillin, tobacco leaf, cedar, licorice and stone. Fine tannin grip with lots of detail and a sense of suppleness to its form, concentrated yet showing restraint and elegance as the wine slowly fades." (2019 vintage)

James Suckling "This is very good. A rich wine, yet the weight is belied by cool, seductive aromas of mint, garden herbs and blue forest fruit accents, lifted by lilacs and a hint of smoked meat. The mid-palate is gently reductive but in a controlled fashion, not impinging on the succulence. The tannins are sinuous and long limbed, directing the effusive flow of flavor. This is an exceptional release of a cuvee that is often solid, if seldom at this elevated level. The best I can recall. Drinkable now, but best from 2028." (2019 vintage)

Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion "Detail is a wonderful thing. If you stick your nose in the glass and close your eyes, perhaps tilt your head just so, you can pick out the individual components of this wine, yet they mesh together perfectly. Juicy berry and plum fruits, abundant spice, fine-grind tannin grip, a fine lacy acid line and an elegant, perfectly poised, slow fade out of pure fruit" (2018 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Euphonium is a blend of Shiraz, both Cabs and Merlot, all from old vines. In typical Henschke style, it's distinctively aromatic. Chinese Five Spice, beetroot and green peppercorn weave between red- and black-berry fruit. The palate is powerful with lovely tangy acidity, a satiny quality to the fruit and a frame of fine, dusty tannins. " (2018 vintage)

Stuart Knox, The Real Review "Deep ruby red in the glass. Fragrant and lifted with dark berry, violets and earth spices showing. Medium in weight yet carrying an underlying power that demands your attention. There’s a seamless nature to the wine that suggests a great blending hand in the background, not one note out of place. Great flow and it caresses the palate incredibly long and lingering." (2018 vintage)

Decanter "...provide rich cassis, ripe blueberry and lifted violet notes. Long, with fine tannins and a lingering orange zest brightness. Great value, especially in this stellar vintage. Keyneton, home of the Henschke winery, was also where the Henschke Family Brass Band was founded in 1888, featuring instruments such as the large euphonium." (2018 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The 2018 Keyneton Euphonium is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and carries a profusion of dusty black tannin and brooding purple fruit. There are notes of meat broth, field mushrooms, fresh leather, blackberry, brown sugar and a molasses character. I know from some of the other Henschke reds that the fruit actually rises above the structure with a decant (or time in the glass), so this is recommended in order to catch the beautiful 2018 fruit on offer here. This is a savory wine—layered and long." (2018 vimtage)

52% Shiraz 25% Cabernet sauvignon 12% Cabernet Franc 11% Merlot
Alcohol: 14.5%

Keyneton Euphonium is a beautiful composition of shiraz from up to 50-year-old vines growing in the Eden and Barossa Valleys, blended with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc from selected vineyards in both regions. Matured in 20% new and 80% seasoned French oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.

Henschke is regarded as the best medium-sized red wine producer in Australia. Critic James Halliday describes Henschke's "Hill of Grace" as "second only to Penfolds Grange as Australia's red wine icon". The winery has gone from strength to strength over the past three decades under the guidance of winemaker Stephen and viticulturist Prue Henschke. The red wines fully capitalize on the very old, low-yielding, high-quality vines and are superbly made with sensitive but positive use of new small oak. All Henschke vineyards are farmed biodynamically.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every wine growing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.