Henschke 2017 single-site Shiraz releases

Seventy years ago, Cyril Henschke created Mount Edelstone Shiraz, one of Australia’s first single-vineyard wines. Six years later, in 1958, the fourth-generation winemaker launched Hill of Grace. The now internationally famous wine firmly cemented his family’s – and Eden Valley’s – reputation for exceptional Shiraz.

Continuing the single-vineyard tradition, in 2001 Cyril’s son Stephen and his wife Prue released Hill of Roses Shiraz (a tiny plot of 28-year-old vines within the Hill of Grace vineyard), then The Wheelwright Shiraz in 2015.

To highlight differences in terroir and vine age, the couple are launching all four together for the first time on 4 May.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of the 2017 Henschke single-site Shiraz wines and Keyneton Euphonium

They could not have chosen a better vintage than 2017, the third in a row the Henschkes deem ‘exceptional’ (2018 will follow suit). After a wet winter and cool, mild growing season, ‘the wines’ vitality screeched out’, viticulturist Prue enthused during a virtual tasting of the 2017s last week.

Harvesting in mid to late April, a month or so later than the 2016 vintage, ‘pushed maturity right to the edge’, said Stephen. ‘You see almost the purest expression of variety in those places and huge differences between the sites in 2017.’

He explained that the differences are terroir-driven because the vines are cultivated using organic and biodynamic practices (which Prue said benefits aromatic expression and texture) and the wines are made and aged similarly.

Stephen, the winemaker, destems the grapes, ferments them in open vats with heading boards (to keep the cap submerged) and ages the wines for about 18 months in mainly French oak hogsheads, between 16% and 29% new. The degree of new oak broadly reflects the relative warmth of each site, together with vine age.

Vine age, site and spice

The difference between The Wheelwright and the older northern sites at 400m is striking. Planted by Cyril Henschke in 1968 at close to 500m above sea level in Eden Valley’s elevated south, The Wheelwright is medium bodied with red fruits. Some 10km north to Mount Edelstone, planted in 1912 with the least exposed east-facing aspect, the wine shows both red and black fruits. The spectrum is more black and blue fruits another 5km north at Hill of Grace, first planted in 1860, with a warmer westerly orientation. Hill of Roses shares these familial flavours but with different energy and flow.

While a continental climate accounts for the spiciness of Eden Valley Shiraz, Prue believes soil type profoundly impacts the spice profile. Located on blocky clay over schist, The Wheelwright has the most delicate crushed herb and spice accent.

Mount Edelstone is from red-brown earth and gravel subsoil and its spice is more pungent, with bay leaf, pepper and sage notes.

Known for lifted Chinese five spice notes, Hill of Grace (and Hill of Roses) is planted on sandy loam over red clay, rocks and calcium carbonate.

All four wines show exceptional detail and expression, with fine tannins and beautiful balance. They make for fascinating comparisons.

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