Henschke : Hill of Grace 2019

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Henschke’s Hill of Grace 2019

Tasting

Appearance

The color reveals a deep crimson red hue with ruby highlights.

Nose

Intensely aromatic, the nose reveals aromas of black fruit (blackberry, Satsuma plum, blueberry) interwoven with notes of freshly crushed violet, anise, and exotic five-spice. With aeration, nuances of dark chocolate, black cherry, and black pepper emerge, accompanied by herbal touches and black tea.

Palate

On the palate, this wine displays a remarkable balance of power and elegance. Intense flavors of black fruit (blackberry, dark red plum, redcurrant) envelop the palate, supported by exceptionally fine tannins and a natural acidity that brings freshness and precision. The delicate structure cradles the fruit with finesse, while notes of sandalwood and white truffle linger through to an epic finish of remarkable length.

Food and wine pairings

Hill of Grace 2019 pairs beautifully with braised red meats, spice-marinated game, as well as dishes featuring wild mushrooms. It also matches well with Asian dishes with gentle spices or aged cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

This Hill of Grace 2019 can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2045, and possibly beyond.

An iconic Eden Valley Shiraz with silky tannins and remarkable elegance

The estate

Founded in 1868, Henschke is one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wine estates, remaining independent for six generations. Based in Keyneton in Southern Australia, the estate manages around 105 hectares of vineyards spread across Eden Valley, Barossa Valley, and the Adelaide Hills. Today, Stephen and Prue Henschke run the estate alongside their children, including Johann, representing the sixth generation. A pioneer of single-parcel wines in Australia as early as the 1950s, Henschke is internationally recognized for its regenerative viticultural practices and for preserving some of the world’s oldest pre-phylloxera vines.

The vineyard

The Hill of Grace vineyard covers eight hectares at Parrot Hill, about four kilometers northwest of Keyneton, in Eden Valley. Situated at 400 meters above sea level, it benefits from a cool climate marked by significant day-to-night temperature swings, encouraging the development of vibrant natural acidity and remarkable elegance. The soils consist of deep red-brown clay-silt alluvial deposits, around 500 million years old. The vineyard is home to pre-phylloxera vines planted around 1860, ungrafted and still on their own roots, ranked among the oldest in the world. These ancestral vines, farmed using organic and biodynamic practices, benefit from soils enriched with organic matter through decades of regenerative viticulture led by Prue Henschke.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage in South Australia proved particularly demanding, shaped by a dry winter, a dry spring, and a hot summer. High temperatures in January and February accelerated ripening and brought harvest dates forward. The combination of heat and water stress resulted in tiny yields. Despite these challenging conditions, regenerative viticultural practices enabled the vines to draw on underground water reserves thanks to the organic matter accumulated in the soils, producing grapes of exceptional quality marked by remarkable concentration and preserved elegance.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Hill of Grace 2019 were hand-harvested in a single day, on March 8, 2019, at optimal ripeness. Winemaking followed a minimal-intervention approach, prioritizing the fruit quality developed in the vineyard. The techniques employed reflect Stephen Henschke’s philosophy, emphasizing the preservation of aromatic purity and the grape’s natural flavors.

Grape variety

100% Shiraz from ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines.