THE PRODUCER
The Henschke family arrived in Australia as part of the German/Silesion dispora
that populated the Barossa Valley in the early 1800s. Their original property
was at Krondorf but they leased and planted grapes at Parrot Hill on what was to
become Hill of Grace in 1858; the property was finally purchased in 1891. They
purchased the current winery property adjoining in 1862, and the first recorded
wine sales were in 1868 the date given as the establishment of Henschke Wines.
The Mount Edelstone vineyard was planted in 1912.

The big changes came with fourth generation Cyril Henschke who took over in 1952
and immediately started phasing out the production of fortified wines in favour
of table wines. Something was obviously working as the 1956 Mount Edelstone won
first prize at the Royal Agricultural Society Grand Easter Wine Show in Sydney
the following year. The first vintage of Hill of Grace was produced in 1958.

Stephen Henschke and his wife Prue assumed control in 1979 and the wines and
their fame hit the stratosphere in the following decades, and are now among the
most-demanded wines in Australia and abroad. Hill of Grace regularly vies with
Penfolds Grange as Australia’s top wine. Mount Edelstone makes a strong
statement of quality in its own right and we offer both wines. Henschke also
produces an outstanding straight Cabernet Sauvignon, named after Cyril
Henschke.

THE WINE
Mount Edelstone Shiraz is also from Eden Valley and named after the Mount
Edelstone vineyard, which was first planted in 1912 by Cyril Henschke's father,
Stephen Henschke.

The vineyard is located on the eastern slopes of the Eden Valley, at an altitude
of around 400 meters above sea level. The vineyard is known for its unique
soils, which are a combination of ironstone and quartzite. These soils, along
with the cool climate of the Eden Valley, help to produce grapes with intense
flavor and complexity.

The wine is made from 100% Shiraz grapes, which are handpicked and carefully
sorted before undergoing fermentation in open-top vats. The wine is then aged
for 18-20 months in French oak barrels, which imparts complex flavors and aromas
to the wine.

Mount Edelstone is known for its rich, full-bodied character, with intense
flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and plum. The wine also exhibits notes of
vanilla, coffee, and chocolate, which are derived from the oak aging process.
The tannins are firm and well-structured, giving the wine a long, lingering
finish.

For years in the shadow of its famous sibling, the vines are now 110 years old,
and producing wines that emulate Hill of Grace for a fraction of the price.

INFORMATION
Type:RedVintage:2016
Country:AustraliaRegion:South AustraliaSub region:Eden ValleyGrape:100% Shiraz
Style:Rich and IntenseSweetness:DryABV:14.5%Drinking window:2015-2062Size:750ml
Food match:Beef and Venison



CRITICS SCORES
We choose our wines based on a range of criteria(seehow we choose our wines)of
which critic scores is justone. Rather than simply highlight the best score to
promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided
by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do
not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more
weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores
like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a92/100average critic score or
better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a
high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we
offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the
market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and
representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide
to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add
individual critic scores to our website in the future.