Henschke Apple Tree Bench is a Shiraz Cabernet blend that pays tribute to the heritage of this legendary family house. Named for the ‘Apple Tree bench’ on which Barossan forefather Johann Christian Henschke placed farm produce during harvest. A limited release cuvée, grapes are matured in majority old oak for a year and a half prior to bottling.
With pronounced blackcurrant, dried herbs, and jammy plum on the palate, this is a heady and rich blend of exquisite structure and balance. The length is extraordinary. Cellared with care, Apple Tree Bench will age gracefully for at least 20 years.
52/48% shiraz/cabernet sauvignon; matured 18 months in 85/15% French/American oak hogsheads, 28% new. The combination of fragrance, depth and structure achieved in the Barossa's great shiraz cabernet blends is legendary, and this cool season has given birth to one of the greats. Cabernet's crunchy blackcurrants interlock seamlessly with the spicy blackberries of shiraz. Finely crafted tannins unite with bright, tangy, cool-season acidity to energise a long and enduring finish. A cellaring special.
95 points, Wine Companion (January 2021)
Barossa Valley
Colonel William Light, the South Australian colony’s Surveyor-General, named the Barossa in 1837 after the site of an English victory over the French in the Spanish Peninsular War. In the mid-1800’s Silesian and English immigrants settled in the area. The Barossa itself comprises two distinct sub-regions: Eden Valley and the warmer Barossa Valley floor at 270m.The Barossa Valley enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterised by hot dry summers and relatively low rainfall. Cool sea breezes from the Gulf of St Vincent modify the temperature, however hot northerly winds can occasionally dominate creating considerable vine stress. Many older established vineyards are dry-grown, but supplementary irrigation is also extensively used. The valley is comprised of rich brown soils and alluvial sands. A long history of uninterrupted viticulture in the area means the Barossa valley is home to Australia’s largest concentration of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre with many over 100 years old. Although most famous for Shiraz, the Barossa can also produce fragrant and deliciously fruity Grenache blends and beautifully rich, chocolatey Cabernet Sauvignons.
