The acclaimed Henschke family, foundation members of Australia’s First Families of Wine, was one of the pioneering families of South Australia when Johann Christian Henschke migrated from Silesia (Germany in 1841). Each generation has contributed to the legend with fourth generation Cyril Henschke pioneering varietal, single-vineyard wines in the 1950s, most famously Mount Edelstone and Hill of Grace Shiraz. Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen and his viticulturist wife Prue have won many awards for their talent, innovation and integration of vineyard and winery. They lead the way with environmental, biodynamic and organic principles. Henschke wines are handcrafted and deeply personal, reflecting the unique terroir of vineyards: the wine names tell either a personal story of the family or the cultural history of their region.

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.

Deep, dark dense red-black-purple colours in the glass, the bouquet evokes dried herbs, hot days under a eucalypt forest canopy, complete with underbrush. Very full-bodied, solidly structured and profoundly flavoured, with masses of drying/savoury tannins that persist long after the wine has gone. Earthy and dried spice aromas of nutmeg, clove, pepper and more, the intensity and refined focus of the wine are impressive as is the almost endless finish. A top example of this wine. Date: Feb 2024; Alcohol: 14.5%; Price: $260.00; Drink: 2024-2044; Rating: 96 Points; Huon Hooke; The Real Review

This is, in a manner of speaking, the lady-in-waiting for Hill of Grace – except, of course, she will never upstage Hill of Grace. The wine is utterly flawless, with black cherry, licorice, hedgerow blackberry and spice keeping all the components in Coldstream Guards’ parade precision. Date: Aprl 2024; Alcohol: 14.5%; Price: $260.00; Drink by: 2049; Rating: 98 Points; James Halliday; The Weekend Australian