Henschke Keyneton Euphonium Shiraz Blend 2015
G R A P E V A R I E T Y
66% Shiraz, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc grapes grown in the Barossa (Eden Valley and Barossa Valley).
T E C H N I C A L D E T A I L S
Harvest Date: 18 February -15 April | Alcohol: 14.5%| pH: 3.49| Acidity:6.5g/L
M A T U R A T I O N
Matured in 20% new and 80% seasoned French oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to blendingand bottling.
W I N E D E S C R I P T I O N
Deep crimson with garnet hues. Enticing aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and cassis are enveloped by herbal notes of sage and bay leafthat lead to subtle nuances of red fruits, blackpepper, vanilla and cedar.A generous palate offers rich flavours of red and blackcurrant, dried herbs and blackpepper, with great purity, balance and texture forming a delicious mouthfeel, while velvety tannins provide great length and complexity.
B A C K G R O U N D
Keyneton Euphonium is a beautiful composition of shiraz from up to 50-year-old vines growing in the Eden and Barossa Valleys, blended with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc from selected vineyards in both regions. The Barossa hills village of Keyneton, pioneered by pastoralistJoseph Keynes in 1842, was a musical and cultural focus for the early settlers, and home to the Henschke Family Brass Band and Henschke winery.
The Henschke Family Band was founded in 1888 by Paul Gotthard Henschke and later led by third-generation Paul Alfred Henschke, featuring wonderful wind instruments such as a B flat euphonium, cornet and E flat clarinet.The B flat euphonium, a large brass wind instrument, was produced by the famous Zimmermann factory in Leipzig, Germany, in the late 19th century.The instruments were imported by musical entrepreneur, Carl Engel of Adelaide in the late 1800s and have been lovingly restored to remain in the care of the Henschke family.
V I N T A G E D E S C R I P T I O N
A traditionally wet winter, mild spring and excellent fruit set provided a great start to the 2015 vintage after four vintages with below average yields. Spring was dry and led into a very mild, dry summer with no disease, resulting in fruit with higher natural acidity, and incredible flavour and colour concentration.It was a dry, warm and windy start to January, with some welcome rain at the end of the month coinciding with the onset of veraison; perfectly timed for the old dry-grown vineyards. Mild weather followed from February through to April providing a fairytale vintage, eventually winding down at the end of April as the rain and cooler temperatures set in.The 2015 vintage has provided stunning signature regional varieties that show extraordinary flavour, purity of fruit and acid balance with the potentialfor exceptional ageing.