2020

Five Shillings

Australia, South Australia, Barossa

$33 AUD

Release Price

2020-2030

Drink Window

14.5

ABV

3.56

pH

6.14

TA

RS

From The Winemaker

Five Shillings pays tribute to Paul Gotthard, the second-generation Henschke winemaker of the early Barossa Lutheran pioneers of South Australia. In 1862 he and his pioneering father Johann Christian established the Henschke winery in the high country of the historic Eden Valley, planted seven acres of vines, and in 1868 sold the first wines. In 1873, after a transfer of five shillings, he continued on the winemaking tradition from his father and began to build a reputation for quality wines. Among the first wines they produced in the 1860s were ‘dry white’ (likely made from riesling) and ‘dry red’ (likely made from shiraz and mataro). This wine replicates the blend of Gotthard's early ‘dry reds’ and is produced from low yielding, ungrafted, biodynamically grown Eden Valley shiraz planted on 540 million-year-old red-brown earths, and blended with mataro growing on the sandy soils of the Barossa Valley.

Growing Conditions

The 2020 vintage will be remembered for excellent quality wines from both the entire Barossa region though there were reduced yields caused by poor conditions at flowering and we had an extremely dry winter, spring and summer in 2019/2020. The 2019 winter and spring resulted in the driest start to the growing season ever, in line with 1939 and 1961. November was a challenging month with some frosts and wet and windy conditions during flowering. Significant heatwaves from mid-December to the end of January reduced shoot growth and berry size, however at the end of the month over 40mm of rain fell, alleviating the stress just before veraison, followed by a cool ripening period in February with just three days over 30°C. Vintage was early, beginning in late February and finishing by late March. The fruit ripened in near perfect conditions, resulting in optimal and excellent wine quality (colour, aromatics, flavour and tannin maturity). Bunches were in loose, open and pristine clusters, while the yield remained quite low at about 50% of average. The 2020 wines are intense in colour, exceptionally fragrant, spicy and well-structured.grass fed sirloin, red cabbage marmalade, sweet potato, bone marrow.

Nose

Fragrant and intense aromas of ripe raspberry, blackberry, Satsuma plum, with lifted, spicy notes of black pepper, liquorice, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Palate

A full, lush palate of vibrant raspberry, boysenberry and mulberry with complex and textural savoury tannins, and fresh acidity driving a long, spicy and structural finish.