Product Info:
Enticing aromas of sweet, ripe red, and blue fruits, plum jam and leather are complemented by Hill of Grace’s familiar nuances of exotic five spice, herbs and chocolate. It drinks lush and juicy; powerful layers of flavour, texture great. Classic Australian Shiraz, with finesse!
Comprised of 100% shiraz grapes from pre-phylloxera material brought from Europe by the early settlers in the mid-1800s and grown on the Hill of Grace vineyard in the Eden Valley. Matured in new French and American hogsheads for 21 months prior to blending and bottling.
Over 180 years ago, Johann Christian Henschke came from Silesia to settle and build his farm in the Eden Valley region. By the time third-generation Paul Alfred Henschke took over the reins in 1914, the now famed Hill of Grace vines were more than 50 years old. The original vines, known as the ‘Grandfathers’, were planted around 1860 by an ancestor, Nicolaus Stanitzki, in rich alluvial soil in a shallow fertile valley just north-west of the Henschke family winery. The red-brown earth grading to deep silty loam has excellent moisture-holding capacity for these dry-grown vines, that sit at an altitude of 400m, with an average rainfall of 520mm. Hill of Grace is a unique, delineated, historic single vineyard that lies opposite a beautiful old Lutheran church.
Maker:
The prestigious Australian winery Henschke has remained a family-owned establishment for over 153 years and six generations. Situated in Keyneton, South Australia, within the esteemed Eden Valley wine region, Henschke proudly stands as a distinguished member of Australia's First Families of Wine. Since its inception in 1862, when Johann Christian Henschke planted a modest vineyard in Keyneton, the Henschke family has continuously crafted exceptional wines, forging a legacy of excellence with vineyards in the Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills, including acclaimed single-vineyards, Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone.
The fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Carl Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue took over the operation of the winery in 1979 and they are recognised around the world for their exceptional quality wines, innovative spirit, focus on restoring native vegetation, organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard. Johann Stephen Henschke, the eldest of Stephen and Prue’s three children has become the sixth generation member of the Henschke family since 1983. With the background of higher education in wine making, viticulture and oenology, Johann is now based at the family winery as winemaker and viticulturist while playing an important role of transferring his skill set and knowledge from the fifth to sixth generation. As the next generation prepares to navigate the well-documented challenges that lie ahead, Johann recognizes the indispensability of innovation and meticulous strategic planning. However, amidst these considerations, he firmly believes in upholding the time-honoured winemaking techniques that have been cherished by the Henschke family for generations. By ensuring that the legacy of Henschke is nurtured with the same prudence and care as it has always been, Johann and his peers can pass on a heritage that will endure and command the same esteemed reputation that it enjoys today.
Vineyard:
A wet winter, with average rainfall during the four-month winter period, followed by a mild, dry spring, leading to excellent growth, good set and vigour; however, frosts caused damage in some vineyards. A mild, late Indian summer ended the cool season, ensuring excellent ripening conditions and accumulation of colour and flavour.
Nose - Rose, Foresty notes, Ripe Berries
Ripe, musky, floral and aromatic, bustling with intense, concentrated sweet dark cherry fruit, new chocolate and vanilla oak.
Palate - Plum Jam, Earth, Minerals
The palate is smoothly grained and savoury with sandy tannins and a drying nature.
Finish - Cherries, Muscular, Sandalwood
Cherries, berries, earth and mineral notes mingle enticingly, wrapped in a gentle buzz of tannins.
Explosively aromatic and extraordinarily long, this well-balanced wine doesn't show its muscle as much as does its structure to propel the gorgeous flavors. Cherries, berries, earth and mineral notes mingle enticingly, wrapped in a gentle buzz of tannins. A stylish wine that should age well." - Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 95 Points.
Ripe, musky, floral and aromatic, bustling with intense, concentrated sweet dark cherry fruit, new chocolate and vanilla oak, built around a tight, integrated backbone of firm tannins. - Jeremy Oliver, 95 Points.
Youthful crimson. Well-knit, rosy nose. More evolved than many and very rich yet structured. Reminds me a little of the wonderful 1986. You can see Australia here but with great finesse. Super clean. - Jancis Robinson, 19/20 Points.
Very good vintage. Medium to deep red/brick-red colour. Sousbois, foresty notes on a slightly fumy, high alcohol bouquet. The palate is smoothly grained and savoury with sandy tannins and a drying nature. The tannins and alcohol slightly out-balancing the fruit. - Huon Hooke, The Real Review.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - Eden Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 1997
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.2%
