2021 Keyneton Estate Euphonium
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Made from 60% Shiraz and 40% the other three grapes, this is a wickedly expressive Euphonium with a spicy, open and extremely welcoming stance on the palate. Instantly appealing and generously deep, this wine is a superb introduction to the Henschke portfolio, and it represents their important grape varieties, the twin sub-regions, their own vineyards, and those of their greater family and friends. In this respect, it is a clever amalgam of all this fine label represents, and it swings in at an affordable price tag, too. It is also widely available in the UK and internationally distributed, too. So, when I report that this is the finest and most impressive Euphonium in my memory and a siren call for this brand, I hope everyone who has enjoyed a Henschke wine and everyone who has yet to step up to this marque gets involved. In addition, it is just about drinking. While it is not quite as silky or as polished as the Eden Valley brigade (below), it wears its heart on its sleeve, showing a fair degree of glamour, glorious depth and a remarkable array of fruit notes and spices, all delivered in a waterfall of delicious flavours.
Critic scores
Average Score
Matthew Jukes
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Luscious dark cherry and plum fruit, along with complexing notes of baking spice, liquorice and woody herbs. Dense and chewy at first, then a burst of acidity and a note of blood orange lift the finish and help it endure for a surprisingly long time. Harvested 1 March-22 April and matured in 11% new and 89% seasoned hogsheads (82% French, 18% American) for 18 months.
The 2021 Keyneton Euphonium hails from a cool year at Henschke—in fact, the coolest since 2002, 19 vintages prior. On the nose, the wine offers us cassis, licorice, raspberry seed and cold black tea. The wine is supple, spicy, black-inflected and mineral, with graphite tannins and raw cocoa through the finish. It is ever so slightly earthy and meaty, with hung deli meat and pastrami as whispers against the black fruit. It's a compositional blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
Full screwcapped bottle just 1,286 g. Blend of 63% Shiraz, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot grown by various growers in Barossa and Eden Valleys and picked over more than seven weeks, from 1 March to 22 April. Matured for 18 months in 62% French and 38% American oak, consisting of 2% new French oak puncheons and 98% seasoned French and American oak hogsheads. Deep crimson. Powerful South Australian perfume of ripeness and medicinal scents comes bounding out of the glass. Amazingly gentle tannin structure and some treacle running over the palate but no obvious alcohol at all. Well done! Some pepper here and lots of sweetness but savour too. It's not super-long at this stage which is perhaps why they are holding it back until early May. But it's beautifully made – and lasted pretty well in an opened bottle for many days. (JR)
About the producer
Product details
Syrah / Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Red
Dry