The Johann's Garden is Henschke’s premier grenache blend – in this case also includes Mataro and Shiraz. Australian grenache is now getting a head of steam and flying off the shelves like never before with Henschke having a long history with this grape variety including some great wines, such as the Johann’s Garden from 2017.
This is a slightly riper and fleshier example than the 2017 release thanks to the significantly warmer vintage which has given fantastic approachability and drinkability from day one. It’s a bold wine showing delicious purity of fruit with dark cherry and spice plus a slight meaty funk thanks to the Mataro in the blend. There is great youthful vitality and you get the feeling this wine will give more with time in the bottle. The fruit is fleshy and ripe on the palate in a full-bodied style with quite supple well integrated tannins driving a long and strong finish. It drinks well now but is worth putting a few bottles in the cellar.
It’s bold with a fruit-filled flavour. It’s a blaze of glory, really. Redcurrant and violet, mint, fragrant herbs, some darker, plummier, almost blueberried aspects, a flash of black licorice. The aromas swirl from the glass; the flavours sweep through the palate. Lovely, both layered and expressive.