The Henschke Johanne Ida Selma Blanc de Noir MD NV Gift Box is an exceptional Australian traditional-method sparkling wine, crafted exclusively from 100% Pinot Noir grown at Henschke’s high-altitude Lenswood Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. Named in honour of Johanne Ida Selma, an important matriarch in the Henschke family, this is a remarkably distinctive sparkling wine built around the combination of cool-climate Pinot Noir, extended bottle maturation and mature disgorgement. The Lenswood vineyard sits at around 550 metres elevation, providing cool temperatures and natural acidity ideal for producing fine sparkling wine. The MD, or Mature Disgorgement, style brings together multiple vintages that have spent extended time ageing on lees before final disgorgement, creating a level of complexity rarely seen in Australian sparkling wine.
The nose is beautifully complex and expressive, revealing citrus blossom, preserved lemon, green plum skin and red berries, layered with toasted brioche, almond bread and roasted cashews. As the wine opens, deeper notes of lemon curd, honey, crème brûlée and delicate pastry emerge, creating a wonderful balance between fresh fruit and mature autolytic character. There is a subtle savoury and mineral quality underneath the aromatics, giving the wine remarkable depth while retaining the lifted fragrance and freshness of cool-climate Pinot Noir.
On the palate, it is dry, elegant and beautifully textured, with a fine bead and creamy mousse carrying flavours of green strawberry, red cherry, lemon pith, sweet apple and citrus. The extended lees maturation gives the wine impressive richness and complexity, with layers of brioche, roasted nuts, crème brûlée and subtle spice adding depth without overwhelming the fruit. Bright acidity provides excellent freshness and precision, while a delicate mineral and savoury character gives the wine further definition. The finish is long, refined and exceptionally persistent, with lingering citrus, pastry, roasted nuts and mineral freshness.
Ben’s Recommendation:
At Wine More Cellars, the Henschke Johanne Ida Selma Blanc de Noir MD NV Gift Box is an outstanding choice for customers seeking a serious Australian sparkling wine with the complexity and refinement of top Champagne. The mature-disgorged style makes this particularly special, offering layers of bottle-aged complexity while retaining the freshness and precision of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir. It is an ideal gift for collectors and sparkling-wine enthusiasts, especially for customers looking beyond the usual Champagne houses and wanting something genuinely distinctive from Australia. The elegant gift box presentation also makes it particularly well suited to milestone celebrations, corporate gifting and special occasions.
