Henschke Keyneton Euphonium 2015
- Decanter
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Wine &
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Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 66% Shiraz, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Fresh, pungent, purple blackberry fruit dominates the nose, then deeper tar, liquorice, cassis and molasses sweetness before the Eden Valley Shiraz signatures of sage and bay leaf add verve. Very complex. The palate dries to a bony savouriness – a nod to the strength and muscle of Keyneton Shiraz, putting added steel into the structure of this wine. A taut acid line and sturdy yet understated tannins keep the flavours bright and long, through to a soft finish. Such measured power and drive suggests a long life in the cellar.
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James Suckling
Rich plum and plum-cake aromas with redder tones, too. Some dried-herb undertones. A ripe and rich style with plush and very rich, enveloping tannins that carry a very supple array of blackberries and plums. A blend of 66% shiraz, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 5% cabernet franc.
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Wine Enthusiast
This vintage of Henschke’s Shiraz dominant red blend (with includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a touch of Cab Franc) is ones of its most approachable. Still showing off an air of aristocratic polish, it is highly herbal and a little sanguine, with notes of baked plum, tomato leaf, beef in hoisin sauce and stony minerals. Silky in texture, tannins are spicy and sexy, slinking along a spine of laser-like acidity and ending on a long, herbal note.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
With its blend of 66% Shiraz, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Keyneton Euphonium is a more structured Syrah-based blend than the Henry's Seven. Less generous young, it promises at least a decade of cellaring potential. Hints of cedar and green-edged tobacco appear on the nose, alongside scents of cassis, mocha and pristine earthy notes of clean compost. It's medium to full-bodied, with tannins that are both silky and firm providing focus and length.
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Wine & Spirits
The B-flat euphonium was part of the German brass ensemble in the Henschke Family Band as far back as 1888. Stephen and Prue Henschke maintain a collection of the original instruments, dedicating this wine to the family’s musical history. It’s a blend of shiraz (66 percent) with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc grown in Eden and Barossa. The wine’s deep raspberry-red fruit has scented layers of date, herb and pine. It’s supple and complex, the sticky tannins the only aspect interfering with the wine’s harmony, a factor that should resolve itself with bottle age.
Other Vintages
2018-
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Robert
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Robert
Parker -
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Robert
Parker -
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Henschke is one of Australia’s leading winemakers and grapegrowers. Henschke is recognised for its rich heritage, innovative spirit and commitment to handcrafting exceptional wines for 150 years. The Henschke family’s grapegrowing and winemaking tradition spans six generations, from outstanding sustainable vineyards in Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. The small-medium wine business has an annual crush of 700 tonne and employs around 50 staff. Prue Henschke manages the 105 hectares of vineyard, spanning from Eden Valley to Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills wine region. Henschke is one of Australia’s leading winemakers and grapegrowers. Henschke is recognised for its rich heritage, innovative spirit and commitment to handcrafting exceptional wines for 150 years. The Henschke family’s grapegrowing and winemaking tradition spans six generations, from outstanding sustainable vineyards in Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. The small-medium wine business has an annual crush of 700 tonne and employs around 50 staff. Prue Henschke manages the 105 hectares of vineyard, spanning from Eden Valley to Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills wine region. Stephen and Prue continue to craft their white wines with a focus on purity, while their red wines have a strong focus on terroir, using traditional winemaking techniques.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.