Winemaker Notes
Deep crimson with garnet hues. Enticing aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and cassis are enveloped by herbal notes of sage and bay leaf that lead to subtle nuances of red fruits, black pepper, vanilla and cedar. A generous palate offers rich flavors of red and blackcurrant, dried herbs and black pepper, with great purity, balance and texture forming a delicious mouthfeel, while velvety tannins provide great length and complexity.
Blend: 65% Shiraz, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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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 pal- ate is powerful with lovely tangy acidity, a satiny quality to the fruit and a frame of fine, dusty tannins. Drinking with ease now, this could continue to age for 7-8 years more.
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Decanter
Sourced from both Eden Valley and Barossa Valley, with the 65% Shiraz including fruit from vines up to 50 years old, providing concentrated, velvetty, black plum and rich black berry aromas and flavours with a generous sprinkling of pepper. This is lifted by the 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot, which 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.
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Robert Parker's 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.
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Wine Spectator
Leads with toasted herbs and touches of tobacco and peppery spices, which add an appealing savory element, while details of cumin and bay leaf mix with a core of cassis and blackberry on a plush, elegant frame. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
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.