RRP:
|Dark crimson with purple hues. Lifted and fragrant aromas of blackberry, mulberry, black cherry, crushed flowering herbs and anise, with nuances of black pepper, sage, dried oregano and rosehip. Rich layers of raspberry and blackberry are interlaced with notes of cassis, spice and dried herbs, providing excellent balance, structure and length, with focused acidity and mature tannins.
Product Information
- Vintage
- 2019
- Grape variety breakdown
54% Shiraz | 46% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Technical Details
- Alcohol: 14.5% | pH:
3.61
| Acidity:6.3g/L
| Volume: 750mls
- Harvest Date
12 March – 3 April
- Maturation
Matured in 32% new and 68% seasoned (63% French, 37% American) oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.
- Background
The Apple Tree Bench pays tribute to the farming traditions of Johann Christian Henschke, who settled in the high-country of the Barossa’s Eden Valley wine region in 1862. The Henschke family’s early farm life revolved around the apple tree bench, where the produce from the farm was placed before being stored in the cool stone cellar. This wine is produced from ungrafted low-yielding Eden Valley shiraz planted on ancient red-brown earths and blended with cabernet sauvignon growing on the deep alluvial soils of the Barossa Valley. A limited-production traditional Barossa shiraz cabernet blend.
- Cellaring potential
Excellent vintage; 15+ years (from vintage).
- Serving Temperature
16°C
Vintage Description
Vintage 2019 shaped up to be a challenging one, with below-average yields, however the quality was very high, with beautiful expressions of varietal character and generally good balance and structure. The hand-picked fruit that arrived at the winery in the cool of the morning was clean, with good concentrated flavours. A dry winter, spring and summer with warmer than average temperatures in January and February lead to the advancement of maturity of all grape varieties in the Eden Valley and an early onset of vintage. The later-ripening varieties, riesling and cabernet were standouts, however most varieties were of a very high standard, including shiraz despite miniscule yields.
Recommended Food Pairing