The Auswine Forum

1990 Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon
95% cabernet; 5% merlot. 13% A/V. Mid red with some evident bricking on the edges. Very good nose with alot happening: lush semi-sweet berries, focussed green capsicum, some pepper overtones, iodine, cigarette smoke and dark chocolate. Broader in scope than the 91. Very elegant wine in fine balance. Good structure, aftertaste and texture. Starting to move into secondary phase. Tannin is poised and settling down. At its peak (or close to) and a very good wine from an era in which Henschke (the early 90s) was on song). Better than the three 1990 Coonawarras tasted recently (Parker First Growth, Lindemans St George and Pyrus).
91 / 100

1991 Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon
90% cabernet; 5% cabernet franc; 5% merlot. 13% A/V. Deeper red with no hint of ageing. Now this looks good! Bouquet is much more intense and tighter than the 90. Not as sweet or open. Incredibly tight. Smelt blind, I actually preferred the elegant and fuller 90. This one’s way too young on smell alone. Palate? Beautiful wine. Very youthful. Tasted in two different sessions blind against the 90 and 93 and both times this was the clear winner. Superb length and beautiful structure – a seamless blend of powerful but rich blackberry fruit, judicious oak handling to complement the wine and a truly fine tannin finish. I reckon this wine has the potential to improve further, as it unwinds. It has all the hallmarks to develop further. This will easily last another decade. A very fine textbook example of how good Aussie cabernet can get. (Strangely enough, Henschke vintage guides on their website and in their mailers lists the Cyrils as 10-year drinking wines. As such, the pre-1994 vintages are no longer extant. Based on the 1990 and 1991, this is very peculiar to say the least].
93+ / 100

1993 Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon
85% cabernet; 8% cabernet franc; 7% merlot. 14.5% A/V!! Like the 91, the cork was barely saturated but crumbled into pieces on removal. Mid red with a smidgin of brown. Exceptional condition for age. Nose is sweet and coffee/cappuccino-like, with hints of mocha. Soft. Palate is very sensual and fleshy initially but finishes harshly with high acidity. The high alcohol level is not very noticeable either on the nose or palate. Razor sharp acidity is disturbing though. Heaps of sediment. Clearly wonÂ’t get any better but is definitely not the disaster itÂ’s made out to be (with respect to the poor vintage). Compared to 90 and 91, the finish is shorter and fruit quality not as profound. Still, rather under-rated for the vintage. It couldÂ’ve been much worse as the fruit is defined (rather than green, anorexic and anaemic). A solid effort in trying conditions.
87 / 100

Thanks Danny.

The Cyril 93 certainly fared better in youth. In fact, Halliday was very confident of the wine's longevity. I have noticed many recent notes on the 93 similar to yours.

I have found with recent Henschke tastings, that some of their wines from tough vintages far more enjoyable in youth- the Henschke complexity with mixed, seasoned oak barrels. Aswell as their fruit quality.

Keyneton Estate especially so ( many extremely positive TN's of youthful Keynetons but few mature ) and to a lesser degree Mt Edelstone. Cyril has shown this in the 92 and 95 vintages; and so it seems with 93 too.

I must add that I have had sublime examples of old Cyrils recently-78, 83 and 85. Superb tertiary nuances preserved in a solid framework. Not timeless, a little fragile, but if you can get any degree of positive cellaring providence, they are bargains of the auction scene.

I buy Henschke in quantity, only from exceptional vintages now. Like the upcoming 50th anniversary Mt Edelstone 2002 vintage!

Largely agree Jamie. Certainly the older Cyrils, Keynetons and Mt Edelston's I have had pre-1996 (say) have all been pretty good despite difficult vintages. The Mt Edelstone can be misunderstood and I believe that in good vintages needs at least 15 years of age before drinking. the Keynetons are more approachable but I still prefer them with 10 years. The Cyril I like 10-15 years of age.

Like you, I now only buy exceptional vintages. Didn't buy much Henschke's from 1998 on (primarily on price increases) but am keen for another look soon (perhaps starting with the 2002s).

Danny,
Any recent tasting of 1996 Cyril. I have a copuple of bottles lying around in the cellar.

Sanjay

Only at release Sanjay. Very good wine and I have a couple too - I've set them down for 2006.

Danny,

Hv u tried their 1994?
IMO the best Cyril in the 90's era.

Cheers,
MC

94 a stunner. So good in fact, I might just crack one on the weekend.

Haven't had the 94 for many years - might do what Jamie is and crack one open...

ive had the 93 3x. Once about a year ago, once 3 years ago and once about 5 years ago.

each time i found it sublime.

The first time we had it up against wines like the 100 parker pt 86 lafite. i enjoyed the cyril more.

outstanding wine

Keep the Cyril notes together; hope you don't mind Danny.

Henschke "Cyril Henschke" 1994- 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc ( I felt this fruit component noticable, punching above it's weight ).

Dense red-purple, tinges are red-garnet. In the decanter, the fruit dominates the nose;rich sweet melded plum and blackberry. In the glass, the fruit more restrained and dusty, earthy notes on a background of dry, old cedary oak. A good core of focused blackcurrant & blackberry fruit poked out in time, but sadly subsided and overcome by earthy-cedar notes.

Palate not the concentration I expected, but a nice mesh of dark fruits, but again the oak and earth comes into prominance. The tannins are mature, fine and build toward a dusty and long, dry, cedary finish. There is some warmth, but as always with Cyril, impeccably balanced by the acid/tannins.

88pts-the wine is mastercrafted in structure, I just felt the fruit is not what it should be. A poor example of a 94 Cyril.

I had a bottle six months ago, meshed plummy, cassis, blackberry fruit in abundance.

Something killed the fruit here-no sign of taint, professionally stored from the Henschke cellars straight to a climate controlled facility. This is my fourth poor showing 94-95 Henschke red in a row!

These wines were drinking beautifully 6 months ago, I would put their poor recent showing down to the travel from Australia to Hong Kong.

1983 Henschke "Cyril Henschke" Cabernet Sauvignon 11.5%- Light, brick-red, orange hues.

Hints of a common, tired old Australian table wine- faded, dirty and porty nuances. Thankfully, 30 minutes in the decanter and the wine blossomed- remarkably fresh blackcurrants, redcurrants and earth. Sometimes there is background old oak, otherwise a fresh, fruit sweetness.

Glorious and mature, velvety mouthfeel with a resurgent palate- obviously variatal, blackcurrant and ribena fruit, background nutmeg like complexity. The fruit is fighting but doesn't fade.

Holding on with mature, soft coating tannins and acids in proportion. The wine finishes with earthy,old wine notes.

A great old Cyril. Just over 11%? Unmistakebly varieatal. 90 points without hesitation. From what Henschke regard as being a 5 on their scale and a vintage well past, a great bottle!

Sentimentally, 1983 was the Ash Wednesday vintage. I recall being evacuated from boarding school in the Vic Alps. Not many years later, with the bulk of a pay as a young 20yo, bought my first batch of Henschke's.

To drink 20 years later with your wife you never knew when the wine purchased, half way around the world in a country you never expected to live in, the joys of collecting fine wine.

JamieBahrain wrote:Keep the Cyril notes together; hope you don't mind Danny.

Henschke "Cyril Henschke" 1994- 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc ( I felt this fruit component noticable, punching above it's weight ).

Dense red-purple, tinges are red-garnet. In the decanter, the fruit dominates the nose;rich sweet melded plum and blackberry. In the glass, the fruit more restrained and dusty, earthy notes on a background of dry, old cedary oak. A good core of focused blackcurrant & blackberry fruit poked out in time, but sadly subsided and overcome by earthy-cedar notes.

Palate not the concentration I expected, but a nice mesh of dark fruits, but again the oak and earth comes into prominance. The tannins are mature, fine and build toward a dusty and long, dry, cedary finish. There is some warmth, but as always with Cyril, impeccably balanced by the acid/tannins.

88pts-the wine is mastercrafted in structure, I just felt the fruit is not what it should be. A poor example of a 94 Cyril.

I had a bottle six months ago, meshed plummy, cassis, blackberry fruit in abundance.

Something killed the fruit here-no sign of taint, professionally stored from the Henschke cellars straight to a climate controlled facility. This is my fourth poor showing 94-95 Henschke red in a row!

These wines were drinking beautifully 6 months ago, I would put their poor recent showing down to the travel from Australia to Hong Kong.

Jamie, I've had some real problems (2 bottles this year) with the '93 Cyril. Full of DMS and beginning to crack badly under the strain. Craig's "cassis, cassis, and more cassis" experiences over the years turned into an "asparagus, green bean with some cassis" disaster for me in 2004.

Anyone tasted or have notes on the 96?

(the 88 was magnificent.)

Neville K

Neville K wrote:Anyone tasted or have notes on the 96?

(the 88 was magnificent.)

Neville K

Still sitting on my 96s and 98s. Got a '92 I'm ready to open, though...

Tasted 96 when it was newly released back in 2000 (at the CD, no less) and recall being very impressed - although it wasn't a cabernet for shiraz lovers, if you know what I mean.

cheers,
Graeme

Keeping the notes together and revisited a bottle of Cyril Henschke 94 over X-Mas. I had this wine some months ago, it did not show well due to what I believe the travel shock phenomenon ( regularily experiencing this due having a cellar thousands of miles away ).

Henschke Cyril Henschke 1994- 14% Alchohol.

Eden Valley 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot & 11% Cabernet Franc.

Opaque dark-purple, violet-red edges.

Rich plum-cassis dominates, choc-vanillan notes and a perfumed background.

Full bodied, flows comfortably accross the palate, blackcurrant and licorice fruit flavours obvious, with developed coffee and earth backpalate nuances. The powerful tannins of youth have softned, but are still a noted buzz on the way to a long, satisfying finish.

The last glass was a little estery on the nose, faded on the palate but it may have just been me!

92 pts. Better bottles and points expected in time.

No hurry at all and no evidence of DMS green or truffley notes.

I vaguely recall the 93 Cyril cleaned up at a number of the Australian wine shows - probably 5 or more trophies. Can anyone confirm this (its for a bet !) ?

Thanks

Mike

Mike Hawkins wrote:I vaguely recall the 93 Cyril cleaned up at a number of the Australian wine shows - probably 5 or more trophies. Can anyone confirm this (its for a bet !) ?

Thanks

Mike

Collect!

Thank you sir.

Good bottles of 92 and 93 Cyril always seem to rate very well at my Options group. The key here is of course "good bottle".

As I've just penned on the 1998 post, bottle variation can lead one to make judgement on a lebel based on just one bottle. This is why sharing thoughts on the forum is so useful, it allows opinions on a number of bottles rather than just one.

At Blacktongues dinners we have to bring two bottles of mature wine, tested for soundness at home. It's amazing how often two perfectly cellared bottles look different on opening, both can be sound but one is clearly better than the other.