Henschke Marble Angel Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Fragrant aromas of blackcurrant, violets, crushed flowering herbs and plum, with hints of blood orange, tomato leaf and cedar.
An intense and lively palate, with blackcurrant, blueberry, cassis, liquorice moving into spicy clove and cardamon, balanced by lifted acidity and grainy tannins on the long, savoury finish.
The 2020 vintage will be remembered for excellent quality wines from the Barossa Valley, albeit reduced yields caused by poor conditions at flowering and the extremely dry winter, spring and summer of 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 troubling 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 around 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, flavours and tannin maturity). Bunches were in loose, open and pristine bunches, while the yield remained quite low. The 2020 red wines are intense in colour, exceptionally fragrant, spicy and well-structured.
