Steven Spurrier: What I’ve been drinking this month

Decanter’s long-standing consultant editor hand-picks fine wines for drinking now and recommends others to lay down, all priced from £25 upwards...

From the cellar

Henschke, Mt Edelstone Shiraz 1994

Johann Christian emigrated from German Silesia in 1841 to found the family vineyards from which 2018 will produce Henschke’s 151st vintage.

Nearby Mount Edelstone vineyard was planted to 100% Shiraz in 1912 by Ronald Angas.

It was his son Colin who first offered the grapes to fourth-generation Cyril Henschke in the early 1950s, Cyril finally acquiring the vineyard in 1974.

Stephen and Prue Henschke took over in 1979 and their son Johann crosses the world as a passionately articulate brand ambassador.

His presentation at Mayfair’s 28°-50° restaurant began with a superb Julius Riesling 2017 from 50-year-old Eden Valley vines, passed to the classic Louis Semillon 2015, then Cyril Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (with 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot, a beautifully made Bordeaux blend), and the Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2013 – dark colour, smooth and rich with black pepper and sage, textured tannins, a firmness to the finish, good for 20 years yet.

Finally, after a superb Hill of Grace 2012, some of the Shiraz vines dating back to the 1860s, came the Mount Edelstone 1994 (95/100pts), still young, wonderful freshness, a very ‘vertical’ Shiraz but not too grippy, with structured precision and restrained length, wonderful now to 2024.

For the cellar

Pio Cesare, Barolo 2014

The Pio Cesare Piedmontese wine company was founded by Cesare Pio in 1881 in Alba, where, in much-expanded form, it exists to this day.

Cesare’s granddaughter Rosy Pio married Giuseppe Boffa and their son Pio Boffa (b.1954) is now in charge, aided by his nephew Cesare Benvenuto and daughter Federica Rosy.

For his 60th birthday Pio Boffa bought himself the 10ha Mosconi vineyard in Monforte d’Alba, bringing the family holdings to 70ha across the best terroirs.

An indefatigable traveller for his wines, Boffa was in London recently to present the Mosconi Barolo 2016 and 2015, along with his famous Ornato Barolo (Serralunga d’Alba) and the ‘classic’ Barolo from 2016, 2015, 2014, 2006, 2000 and 1997.

These last two were simply superb, and while the Ornato Barolo 2000 and 2006 took my highest marks (98), for my own cellar I would choose the classic Barolo 2014 (94).

The grapes come from seven vineyards, four in Serralunga d’Alba, which are vinified together, so the blend is made right at the start, producing around 70,000 bottles after 18 months in large oak.

This was a good, not great vintage, showing florality and red rather than black fruits, fine persistence, purity and length – a simply lovely wine for drinking from 2020 to 2034 and beyond.

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See more articles from Decanter magazine’s November 2018 issue

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