2008 Lenswood Abbotts Prayer, Henschke

2008 Lenswood Abbotts Prayer, Henschke

Product: 20088107114
Prices start from £220.00 per case Buying options
2008 Lenswood Abbotts Prayer, Henschke

Buying options

Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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6 x 75cl bottle
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Description

A blend of 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet fermented using traditional methods followed by maturation in French oak. A nose full of plum, damson and violet followed by a palate which has refreshing acidity with the aforementioned oak nicely balanced by a core of sweet black fruit.
Nick Stewart, BBR Buying Department

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate90/100
A blend of 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2008 Abbotts Prayer has a deep garnet-purple color and very ripe, warm berry and dried fruit aromas with a core of prunes and raspberry preserves plus hints of cassia and cloves. Medium to full bodied, concentrated and spicy in the mouth, it has refreshing acid and a medium level of chewy tannins, finishing long. Drink it now to 2018.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 23/12/2011 Read more

About this WINE

Henschke

Henschke

Henschkes family name and reputation are now being upheld by the fifth generation, Stephen and his wife Prue. Stephen is the biochemist and winemaker and Prue is the viticulturist.

Over the past 14 years, Prue`s viticultural management has breathed new life into the vineyards, which fully capitalise on some of the most remarkable old vine material in the world.

The highly sought-after Hill of Grace is the product of vines planted in the 1860s and is Australia's greatest single vineyard Shiraz. The Mount Edelstone Shiraz has a large following, as does the Keyneton Estate. Henschke Rieslings are the finest in the Eden Valley and amongst the very best in Australia.

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Eden Valley

Eden Valley

Eden Valley is a famous fine wine Southern Australian region, nestled at 400 metres among the Barossa Ranges on the eastern boundary of the Barossa Valley, approx 500 ha. 

Samuel Smith planted vines here in 1849. Johann Henschke’s farm near present-day Keyneton, then called ‘North Rhine’dates back to 1862. However until the 1950s the region reverted back to livestock to make a living (as irrigation impractical). The 1950s saw a resurgence in the region’s fortunes, thanks to the likes of Cyril Hencshke’s promotion of Riesling. Yalumba acknowledged the region’s high quality fruit by relocating its winery to Angaston in the early 1970s; they had already planted the now famous Pewsey Vale vineyard in 1962. In 1972 they planted their Heggies vineyard with Chardonnay & then in ’84 with Viognier.

At between 380 – 550 metres, the region displays nutrient poor yellow podzolic/sandy & pink quartz soils over decomposed (gneiss) granite. Due to the rocky nature of the soils, irrigation is largely provided by dams & planting densities are higher than average. Compared to Clare Valley, Eden Valley is a marginally higher in altitude, if notably cooler zone with similar sunshine hours but slightly lower levels of continentality.

As expected, the style of these Riesling, Chardonnay and Viognier wines is one showing fine elegance & floral, stony purity; none of the wines should require acidification.

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Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.

In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and  Australia.

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