2022 Henschke The Wheelwright Shiraz

97 pts
A special single-vineyard Shiraz release, from an iconic Australian winery.

Price:
Sale price$165.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship, only 1 unit left
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Description

The Henschke family has been at this for over 150 years, and The Wheelwright is a direct link to that history.

It comes off a block of old vines planted back in 1968 by Cyril Henschke, right in the heart of the high-country Eden Valley. This 2022 release carries the stamp of a cool, late vintage - it’s got that signature Henschke elegance but with a serious, brooding edge that we only see in the top years.

It's dark and inky, smelling of blackberries, brambles, and black pepper. It’s on the lighter side of full-bodied, which is exactly what makes Eden Valley Shiraz so compelling. Instead of raw power, you get layers of spice and a savoury mineral tension that feels focused and intense.

This isn't a Shiraz for a casual midweek pour. The structure is dense and firm, built to go the distance in the cellar like the legendary 2010 or 2015 releases. If you’re opening one now, give it plenty of air and pair it with something substantial.

97 points
"This is such a lovely wine, brimming with bright red fruits supported by a fine, bright and lively acidity, fine chalky tannins and a neatly implemented oak. Has a beautifully seductive mouthfeel with tremendous depth and concentration of Shiraz."
- Ray Jordan (Wine Pilot)

96 points
"The 2022 The Wheelwright Single Vineyard Shiraz is highly perfumed with purple flowers and lifted spice... The 2022 vintage brings such delicacy and freshness to this wine. I love it."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)
96 points
"There's a lovely core of pure plum and blue fruits over graphite, layers of spice and citrus blossom high tones. Graceful and sleek with melt-in-the-mouth tannins and a bright, sustained finish."
- Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)
96 points
"Lovely fragrance; powerful structure; firm tannin finish. This will reward long ageing."
- Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

97 points - "This distinctive wine has been an annual favourite of mine from the time it was first released. The vineyard was planted in the Mount Lofty Ranges by Cyril Henschke in 1968 to mark the 100th anniversary of Henschke. This is such a lovely wine, brimming with bright red fruits supported by a fine, bright and lively acidity, fine chalky tannins and a neatly implemented oak. Has a beautifully seductive mouthfeel with tremendous depth and concentration of Shiraz. This is the most southern of the three single vineyards and comes in after Edelstone and Hill of Grace. It’s quite different from those wines. Has beautiful peppery violet fragrances with stacks of red fruit. Matured in 10% new and 90% seasoned French oak hogsheads for 20 months before blending and bottling. The Wheelwright, first released to commemorate 150 years of Henschke family winemaking, pays tribute to founder, winemaker Johann Christian Henschke a skilled stonemason and wheelwright. He was among the first generation of the early German Silesian community and established the family winery in 1868." - Ray Jordan (Wine Pilot)

96 points - "The 2022 The Wheelwright Single Vineyard Shiraz is highly perfumed with purple flowers and lifted spice. This is loaded with pomegranate, raspberry, red licorice, pink peppercorn (in that attractive citrussy way that pink peppercorns can bring) and green olive tapenade. This is structural and yet juicy, savory (tannins) but sweet (fruit) and incredibly persistent and lingering. This offers immense pleasure now, but it will, like all the Henschke wines, evolve positively in the cellar for decades to come. The 2022 vintage brings such delicacy and freshness to this wine. I love it." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

96 points - "Shiraz sourced from the Wheelwright vineyard in the Eden Valley; aged in French oak, 10% new, for 20 months. Expressive and fruit pure with aromas of blackberry, blueberry and black cherry fruits with hints of brown spice, flowering herbs, sage, a flash of red cherry, violets, cedar, graphite and crushed rock. There's a lovely core of pure plum and blue fruits over graphite, layers of spice and citrus blossom high tones. Graceful and sleek with melt-in-the-mouth tannins and a bright, sustained finish." - Dave Brookes (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "Deep and bright red with a purple meniscus; intense raspberry and crushed fresh herbs on the nose, predominantly sage and rosemary, thyme also, the palate soft and fleshy with a firm sheen of fine-grained tannins that persist throughout the length of the palate. Intense spices too—this has the personality of Eden Valley roaring through with its inimitable character. Lovely fragrance; powerful structure; firm tannin finish. This will reward long ageing." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

93+ points - "Ultra plush palate, saturated plums, some cream, some mint, some peppered smoke and then cedar. This wine is dominated by vivid red berry flavours: redcurrant, plum, red licorice. Inlaid there are pepper- and peppercorn-like notes but it’s all about those extravagant red berried flavours. This wine stands out in the Henschke range for exactly that reason: it’s red satin velvet fruit. There was a lot of love in the room for this wine but I was (slightly) less enthusiastic because it seemed comparatively simple – which, admittedly, time in the cellar will likely take care of." - Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)

Price Bracket $101 and Above
Type Red
Body Full Bodied
Variety Shiraz
Country Australia
Region Eden Valley
Australian State SA
Feature High Score
Iconic
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
The Real Review
The Wine Advocate
Wine Pilot
Critic Score 97
Size 750ml
Vintage 2022
Closure Screw Cap

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