Henschke Mt Edelstone Shiraz 1995 ( world class wine )

WINE TALK
1

I stopped decanting this vintage a few years ago and it works better coming up in the glass approaching the 20 year mark. Have a look at the cork, professional storage since release. Frustrates me no end that many people claim professional storage ( a swipe at the big UK merchants ) and the corks are sodden by 10 years.

This was a clever wine at release considering the vintage and I rated it as one of the few excellent 95’s. A haunting and very complex mix of deep scented aromas of violets and dark fruits, Borneo spices and bracken and fennel. So typically Henschke with the mix of old vine fruit and seasoned barrels. Full bodied shiraz that’s becoming heady with age, smokey, with a mix of red and black fruit flavors in a pastille like texture, completing with length and intensity. By the last mouthful the wine is moving toward a distinctly tertiary spectrum with a leathery sweetness.

I had this the night after a lot of great red burgundies, and although its fashionable to knock Australian wine, this is world class.


93pts



2

I thought that leathery sweetness was a touch of Brett.

3

Leather never showed up in this wine until recently. Could be a little brett but my money is on tertiary development and leather notes are quite common in Australia shiraz at this age.

98-2001 vintages there was problems in Henschke cellars with brett and warm storage. The 98 Hill of Grace is a 50-50 proposition in my experience and the 98 Mt Edelstone I returned my case to the winery and received no questions asked replacement with a current vintage!