Regarded as the best medium-sized red wine producer in Australia, Henschke has gone from strength over the past three decades under the guidance of winemaker Stephen and viticulturist Prue Henschke. The red wines fully capitalise on the very old, low-yielding, high quality vines and are superbly made with sensitive but positive use of small new oak. Hill of Grace is second only to Penfold’s Grange as Australia’s red wine icon. A founding member of Australia’s First Family of Wine.
The Mount Edelstone vineyard, situated in the Eden Valley, was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas, who founded South Australia. Unusual for its time, it was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500 million-year-old soils on the vineyard are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from over 100 year-old dry-grown, ungrafted centenarian vines. First bottled as a single-vineyard wine in 1952, it became recognised as one of the greatest shiraz wines in Australia.
97 Points James Halliday
The 61st vintage, from 101yo ungrafted dry-grown vines, matured for 18 months in 81% French and 19% American hogsheads (34% new). The decision to hold back the release of this shiraz until after the ’14 was correct – this is a densely packed wine destined for a long life as vertical tastings have proved again and again, intensity and focus achieved without apparent effort. Medium-bodied, but with compelling black fruits riding on the back of tannins and carefully measured oak.