Henschke

Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon
Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon bottle image
Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon bottle image

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Henschke

Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine carries the name of Stephen’s father, Cyril Henschke (1924-1979), as a tribute to one of Australia’s outstanding winemaking pioneers, renowned for old-vine single-vineyard and quality varietal table wines. Cyril planted cabernet sauvignon at Henschke’s Eden Valley vineyard in the 1960s.

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Wine Production

Matured in 42% new and 58% seasoned French hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.

Tasting Notes

Deep crimson in color. Fragrant aromas of black currant, cassis, dark plum and blue and black berry fruits. Floral violet nuances, and enticing notes of bramble, dried herbs and spice are layered with just a hint of cedar and graphite complexity. The palate is focussed and lush, with wild blue, black and red berry fruit flavours complemented by layers of dried herbs, spice, vanilla and cedar. An elegant thread of acidity and fine rolling tannins provide structure and poise.

Food Pairing

Wagyu Rump Cap with Crispy Tofu Pickled Radish and Eel Sauce

This wine carries the name of Stephen’s father, Cyril Henschke (1924-1979), as a tribute to one of Australia’s outstanding winemaking pioneers, renowned for old-vine single-vineyard and quality varietal table wines. Cyril planted cabernet sauvignon at Henschke’s Eden Valley vineyard in the 1960s.

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Wine Production

Matured in 42% new and 58% seasoned French hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.

Tasting Notes

Deep crimson in color. Fragrant aromas of black currant, cassis, dark plum and blue and black berry fruits. Floral violet nuances, and enticing notes of bramble, dried herbs and spice are layered with just a hint of cedar and graphite complexity. The palate is focussed and lush, with wild blue, black and red berry fruit flavours complemented by layers of dried herbs, spice, vanilla and cedar. An elegant thread of acidity and fine rolling tannins provide structure and poise.

Food Pairing

Wagyu Rump Cap with Crispy Tofu Pickled Radish and Eel Sauce

Brand Materials

Tech Sheet Download Bottle Shot Download Acclaim Linkout
95
POINTS
"This is a very ripe vintage that delivers a greater sense of flesh and flavor to this cooler-climate cabernet blend. Red cherries, mulberries and red plums with cassis and sweet earthy, spicy notes. The palate has alluring soft, deep tannins bathed in flavorsome, rich fruits."
James Suckling
94
POINTS
"Opaque ruby. Powerful blackcurrant, cherry, pipe tobacco, potpourri and woodsmoke qualities on the assertively perfumed nose. Fleshy and expansive in the mouth, offering concentrated black and blue fruit flavors and notes of candied licorice, succulent herbs and vanilla that build in the glass. Gains energy with air and finishes on a bitter cherry note, with building tannins, solid thrust and impressive persistence."
Vinous
94
POINTS
"The blend of the 2013 Cyril Henschke is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. It's understandably less fragrant than the 2012, but perhaps it's more powerful, with intense, pungent cassis on the nose. Full-bodied and chunkier than the 2012 on the palate, it's still on the elegant side for Cabernet, with a supple, persistent finish."
Wine Advocate
92
POINTS
“An elegant, fragrant mix of dried rose petal, pepper and palo santo notes mingle with current and dried blueberry flavors on a polished, supple frame. Harmonious and detail-oriented through the long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.”
Wine Spectator
92
POINTS
“From Eden Valley’s most famed winery, this Cabernet blends small amounts of Cab Franc and Merlot for a classy, cellar-worthy wine. At six years old, it’s drinking well now, although it needs time in the decanter to reveal its true colors. Still bright cherry and plum fruit weaves with warm stone mineral and dried herbal notes. Tannins remain firm and grainy in texture, and fruit on the palate is still juicy and herb flecked right to the long finish. A polished, restrained and well-balanced wine that should continue aging gracefully for another five years or so.”
Wine Enthusiast

Vineyard & Production Info

Vineyard name:
Eden Valley Vineyard
Soil composition:
Sandy loam over gravel and bedrock with patches of clay
Elevation:
1,640 feet
First vintage of this wine:
1978
Average Vine Age:
30 years

Winemaking & Aging

Varietal composition:
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot
Fermentation container:
Traditional open-top concrete fermentation tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
Full
Fining agent:
Animal based
Type of aging container:
Hogsheads
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
18 months

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.5
Acidity:
7.3 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Residual sugar:
0.6 g/L

About the Vineyard

The lead-up to the 2013 vintage saw an early onset of summer, with occasional thunder-storms and only four heat spikes, into the 40s, over summer. A cooler than average January followed by a warm February, brought the predicted early vintage even further forward. Even after the dry-fecta of winter/spring/summer the word from the winery floor was that it would be another great Eden Valley riesling year, followed up with some great old-vine shiraz. Fortunately, a desperately needed 16mm of rain came, the first for nearly six months, at the beginning of March to help the dry-grown vines struggle through to full maturity. Cool drizzly weather at the end of March nearly brought the harvest to a halt, but with a return to the Indian summer conditions in early April, it gave us a chance to get the late varieties in Eden Valley over the line, predominantly cabernet sauvignon and merlot,
returning us to another great vintage of average yields and fabulous rock solid quality.

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