Henschke

Julius Riesling

Henschke Julius Riesling bottle image
Henschke Julius Riesling bottle image

POS Materials

Tech Sheet Download Bottle Shot Download Acclaim Linkout

Henschke

Julius Riesling

Cyril Henschke developed the Henschke reputation for premium riesling wines as early as the 1950s from the vineyard areas of Eden Valley, Keyneton and Springton in the Eden Valley wine region. This region provides ideal ripening conditions for the riesling grape and has a unique track record of exceptional ageing potential for the variety. The Eden Valley riesling vineyard is planted on sandy loam over gravel and bedrock with patches of clay. The wine is named after ancestor Julius Henschke, a highly acclaimed artist and sculptor.

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Wine Production

Fermented in tank and bottled post-vintage to preserve the delicate aromatic fruit characters

Tasting Notes

Pale straw with lime green hues. Lifted and fragrant aromas of citrus florals, frangipani, finger lime and kaffir lime leaf, with hints of bath salts and green peppercorn. Excellent flavor intensity showing concentrated citrus flavors of lime juice and Meyer lemon, supported by minerality and crispness for an incredibly long and dry finish.

Food Pairing

Crumbed King George Whiting, yoghurt tartare, herb salad 

Cyril Henschke developed the Henschke reputation for premium riesling wines as early as the 1950s from the vineyard areas of Eden Valley, Keyneton and Springton in the Eden Valley wine region. This region provides ideal ripening conditions for the riesling grape and has a unique track record of exceptional ageing potential for the variety. The Eden Valley riesling vineyard is planted on sandy loam over gravel and bedrock with patches of clay. The wine is named after ancestor Julius Henschke, a highly acclaimed artist and sculptor.

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Wine Production

Fermented in tank and bottled post-vintage to preserve the delicate aromatic fruit characters

Tasting Notes

Pale straw with lime green hues. Lifted and fragrant aromas of citrus florals, frangipani, finger lime and kaffir lime leaf, with hints of bath salts and green peppercorn. Excellent flavor intensity showing concentrated citrus flavors of lime juice and Meyer lemon, supported by minerality and crispness for an incredibly long and dry finish.

Food Pairing

Crumbed King George Whiting, yoghurt tartare, herb salad 

Brand Materials

Tech Sheet Download Bottle Shot Download Acclaim Linkout
96
POINTS
The 2024 Julius Riesling is lean and austere, both aromatically and in the mouth. One must wait for the length of flavor to subside prior to casting judgment upon it; and it is best that you do wait, because the length of flavor is surely one of the greatest determining factors of quality. Here, I was able to write all of this while the wine was fading, and still, it is possible to perceive it. So, while this wine has an array of white flowers, crushed fine quartz, citrus pith and lime oil, it is wrapped in a gauzy shroud of powder-fine phenolics, threaded together by saline acidity. It is long, subtle, composed and excellent. This is Eden Valley at its finest, and the finest Julius yet.
Wine Advocate
96
POINTS
“Pale straw in the glass with a flash of green and inviting aromas of Bickford's lime cordial, fresh lime juice, green apple sorbet and grapefruit. Hints of crushed quartz, Christmas lily, citrus blossom, almond paste, ozone, lemongrass and makrut lime. There is a beautiful tubular, porcelain palate shape here, slickly focused and precise with a slight ache of umami as the wine tears across the tongue like a limey Shinkansen, finishing long, dry and beautifully balanced.”
James Halliday
95
POINTS
Mineral-driven notes of slate, wet stones, limes and talcum powder. The palate is tightly wound with a light-bodied mouthfeel and energetic acidity, giving notes of grapefruit, lemon peel and nectarines. A very focused and restrained wine that will develop nicely in the bottle over time.
James Suckling
95
POINTS
Mineral-driven notes of slate, wet stones, limes and talcum powder. The palate is tightly wound with a light-bodied mouthfeel and energetic acidity, giving notes of grapefruit, lemon peel and nectarines. A very focused and restrained wine that will develop nicely in the bottle over time.
James Suckling
94
POINTS
The premium Riesling from this historic Eden Valley producer offers layers of aroma and flavor, from lime leaf, delicate florals and spice to something more mineral and earth-derived. The palate is dry and zesty, with bracing acidity, gently pithy texture and mouthwatering freshness to the finish. Pair with summery fare or sip solo just below room temperature.
Wine Enthusiast
94
POINTS
Although the acidity is bracing and creates a firm backbone for this wine, there’s more than enough lemon and lime sherbet fruit and crisp green apple notes on the palate to provide balance. There’s complexity here, too, derived from talcy minerality and a suggestion of spiced richness on the long finish. Great energy and precision.
Decanter
90
POINTS
Fragrant and mouthwatering, with intense notes of lime, pear and fresh-cut Honeycrisp apple. Shows a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt, tarragon and fresh lemon on a sleek and juicy frame.
Wine Spectator
17++
Already more intense and evolved on the nose than the Peggy's Hill bottling. Really fills the mouth with lime-juice character until it comes to the decidedly dry end after some strong fruit impact. This is still very youthful but very promising. Great persistence. Really vibrates in the mouth. It would be a waste to drink this too young but it's not aggressively austere.
Jancis Robinson

Vineyard & Production Info

Production area/appellation:
Eden Valley
Soil composition:
Sandy loam over gravel and bedrock with patches of clay
Elevation:
1,640 feet
Harvest time:
March 5-14, 2019
First vintage of this wine:
1994
Average Vine Age:
50 years

Winemaking & Aging

Varietal composition:
100% Riesling
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Malolactic fermentation:
none
Fining agent:
Animal based

Analytical Data

pH level:
2.98
Acidity:
7.46 g/L
Alcohol:
11 %

About the Vineyard

Vintage 2019 shaped up to be a challenging one, with below-average yields, however the quality was very high. A dry winter, spring and summer with warmer than average temperatures in January and February lead to the early onset of vintage. For 2019, Riesling is a standout.

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