Henschke
Hill of Grace Vineyard Shiraz
Eden Valley, Barossa, South Australia, Australia
Sunday lunch, where we always drink the best wine of the week. A perfect match with roast lamb. Lighter in colour than expected - almost transparent. Quite barnyard with the aromatics surprisingly with a little tobacco and dark chocolate. The opulent black fruits of its youth have transformed into a much more savoury wine after 25 years. This brings into question the age old query as to when to pop the cork on old wines. This was a terrific old wine but it left me thinking I would like a bit more fruit on the palate before those silky soft tannins. Still, it remains one of the world’s great wines in one of the most iconic vineyards with 140 year + old vines. The 2018 has just been released amid several 100 point scores and touted as one of the great H of G’s but at $950 I will pass.
Sunday lunch, where we always drink the best wine of the week. A perfect match with roast lamb. Lighter in colour than expected - almost transparent. Quite barnyard with the aromatics surprisingly with a little tobacco and dark chocolate. The opulent black fruits of its youth have transformed into a much more savoury wine after 25 years. This brings into question the age old query as to when to pop the cork on old wines. This was a terrific old wine but it left me thinking I would like a bit more fruit on the palate before those silky soft tannins. Still, it remains one of the world’s great wines in one of the most iconic vineyards with 140 year + old vines. The 2018 has just been released amid several 100 point scores and touted as one of the great H of G’s but at $950 I will pass.
May 7th, 2023A Mother’s Day treat last Sunday with Roast Lamb. An initial aroma of H2S which I sometimes get with Henschke reds. Took a while to blow off. Some Animale and vegetal notes amongst the raspberry, earth and spice. After a few hours aromas of ground coffee. However the wonderful supple palate overwhelmed any negativity from the nose. Sweet and earthy with those liquid velvet tannins - a product of ancient vines, the oldest of which are 160 years old. An inner core which will carry this through to the 2030s. I decided to open this as the exceptional 2016 has just been released for sale at the princely sum of $890AUD. I won’t be buying at that price but I’m sure they will sell the lot with or without the Chinese market.
A Mother’s Day treat last Sunday with Roast Lamb. An initial aroma of H2S which I sometimes get with Henschke reds. Took a while to blow off. Some Animale and vegetal notes amongst the raspberry, earth and spice. After a few hours aromas of ground coffee. However the wonderful supple palate overwhelmed any negativity from the nose. Sweet and earthy with those liquid velvet tannins - a product of ancient vines, the oldest of which are 160 years old. An inner core which will carry this through to the 2030s. I decided to open this as the exceptional 2016 has just been released for sale at the princely sum of $890AUD. I won’t be buying at that price but I’m sure they will sell the lot with or without the Chinese market.
May 10th, 2021An icon of Australian Red wine. Unfortunately a strong whiff of H2S on the Nose. I have struck this problem previously with also Henschke Mount Edelstone on a couple of occasions. The hallmark of this wine has always been its beautiful supple silky tannins with flavours of plum and raspberry. Tannins totally resolved. The product of a 140 year single vineyard in the Eden Valley. Unfortunately prices these days have gone through the roof. I hope we don’t encounter the H2S in subsequent bottles.
An icon of Australian Red wine. Unfortunately a strong whiff of H2S on the Nose. I have struck this problem previously with also Henschke Mount Edelstone on a couple of occasions. The hallmark of this wine has always been its beautiful supple silky tannins with flavours of plum and raspberry. Tannins totally resolved. The product of a 140 year single vineyard in the Eden Valley. Unfortunately prices these days have gone through the roof. I hope we don’t encounter the H2S in subsequent bottles.
Feb 6th, 2019Black olive, tobacco, beautiful fruit and elegance. Almost old world on so many levels.
Black olive, tobacco, beautiful fruit and elegance. Almost old world on so many levels.
2 people found it helpfulMar 11th, 2016Wine with leftovers, certainly not leftover wine!
Wine with leftovers, certainly not leftover wine!
Dec 27th, 2013Absolutely fantastic. Definitely can continue to cellar for years. Happy Birthday to me!
Absolutely fantastic. Definitely can continue to cellar for years. Happy Birthday to me!
Mar 30th, 2013
Great combination. Cloudburst has to be the closest Chard to a high end white burgundy outside of France. This 2013 was spectacular, with electric minerality. The 1998 Hill of Grace is claimed to be one of the 3 best Australian vintages (along with 02 and 06). Whoever says that Australian wines can’t age is just dead wrong! Anyway, tasted like an aged cuvée CDP and the depth and structure was just outstanding.
Great combination. Cloudburst has to be the closest Chard to a high end white burgundy outside of France. This 2013 was spectacular, with electric minerality. The 1998 Hill of Grace is claimed to be one of the 3 best Australian vintages (along with 02 and 06). Whoever says that Australian wines can’t age is just dead wrong! Anyway, tasted like an aged cuvée CDP and the depth and structure was just outstanding.
Jan 3rd, 2020
1998 Henschke Hill of Grace Syrah. Dinner w A&S at Ac House. Decanted for over an hour. Delicious. Tons of fruit, nice acid. Eucalyptus, mint, asphalt, gravel. Very balanced Tons of life left.
1998 Henschke Hill of Grace Syrah. Dinner w A&S at Ac House. Decanted for over an hour. Delicious. Tons of fruit, nice acid. Eucalyptus, mint, asphalt, gravel. Very balanced Tons of life left.
Dec 10th, 2018
1998 Henschke Hill of Grace. Dinner at J&L B’s house during our staycation. Only decanted less than an hour before pouring, but it was still huge. May need to decant longer next time. Wasn’t as good as K had hoped during our Syrah tasting.
1998 Henschke Hill of Grace. Dinner at J&L B’s house during our staycation. Only decanted less than an hour before pouring, but it was still huge. May need to decant longer next time. Wasn’t as good as K had hoped during our Syrah tasting.
Apr 16th, 2018