Winemaker Notes
Deep garnet with violet hues. A striking bouquet of ripe plum, raspberry, blueberry and notes of blackberry intertwine with savory notes of cracked black pepper, flowering herbs, fresh tarragon and bay leaf. Dark plum, berry compote, rhubarb and raspberry flavors lead to a peppery mid-palate of vibrant red berry acidity and fine-grained tannins, finishing with lingering flavors of mulberry and black pepper.
Blend: 72% Shiraz, 13% Grenache, 12% Mataro, 3% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of black fruit and green tobacco with bark and wet-earth undertones, following through to a medium to full body, creamy tannins and a juicy, savory finish. Intense and balanced.
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Wine Enthusiast
From an excellent vintage, this 20th anniversary bottling of Henry’s Seven is a beauty and is comparatively affordable to boot. It offers layers of winter-warming aromas, from cherry and raspberry compote to savory, ground-pepper spice and toasted vanilla bean. The palate shows lovely mouth-watering freshness and red berry tang amidst chiseled, textural tannins. A finessed and complete wine for drinking now, this should also evolve beautifully over the next several years.
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Wine Spectator
Sleek, juicy and elegant, with maraschino cherry, raspberry and blood orange flavors at the core, plus touches of vanilla bean, dried lavender and sage notes on a firm frame. Features an appealing thread of acidity that weaves in and out. Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Viognier.
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Decanter
The 20th anniversary of this wine, sourced from growers in the Eden Valley and Barossa Valley, the 2% Viognier co-fermented with the 78% Shiraz while the Grenache (11%) and Mataro (9%) were fermented separately. A tribute to Henry Evans who planted the first seven acre (2.8ha) vineyard in Keyneton in 1853. Very red fruited, juicy, and light on its feet thanks to refreshing acidity, with fragrant potpourri, blood plum, earthy beetroot and some tangier pomegranate. Cinnamon-spiced raspberry compote finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Henry's Seven has a purity to the expression of blackberry fruit in the mouth—it is vibrant and luminescent and succulent. There are notes of tobacco leaf, raspberry leaf tea, bramble, aniseed and a crack of pink peppercorns. The fruit doesn't persist as I hoped it would through the finish, but the flavors are so lovely it hardly matters.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
The Barossa Zone encompasses the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Some of the oldest vines in Australia can be found here.
Barossa Valley of course is the most important and famous wine growing region in all of Australia where 140+ year-old, dry-farmed Shiraz vines still produce inky, purple and dense juice for some of Australia's best wines.
In the cooler, wetter Eden Valley sub-region, the Hill of Grace vineyard is home to famous Shiraz vines from the 1800s but the region produces also some of Australia’s very best and age-worthy Rieslings.