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A few weeks before Divine Magazine’s Henschke Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone tasting, I had been sitting in the Hill of Grace vineyard doing preliminary drawings for a painting. At that time – while fighting the unwelcome attention of an insect in my shirt – I had been wondering about Hill of Grace and its position and place among Australian wines.
The cult wine scene – although very much on the wane and created by hyperbole from the United States – had thrown up challenges both positive and sometimes rather destructive. On the one hand it had allowed a genuine opportunity for resourceful and clever wine makers to make a dent into this important market. On the other hand these wine critics have lorded praise to the point of using their power without responsibility.
Is Hill of Grace truly inferior to such wines as Wild Duck Creek Shiraz or Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz? Then there were the style and evolutionary differences between Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone. I was curious to taste 10 vintages of Hill of Grace, encompassing the most recent vintages. I have always loved the Mount Edelstone style, having described it in the past as being totally undervalued when compared to the pantheon of high quality Australian Shiraz. More controversially I was also bothered by the increasing debate about Brettanomyces – a spoilage yeast which, if excessively present, can poke out and destroy the fruit quality of a wine. The 1998 Mount Edelstone has drawn plenty of private comment – more about that later. For all these reasons this tasting was important – and as it turned out it was one of the most enjoyable of the year.
Henschke over the last 20 years has developed quite a reputation within Australia and on the international wine scene. Although its heritage goes back almost 140 years, the story of Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone is essentially a modern one. In the early 1980s these wines were both held in high regard, but did not hold the cachet of Penfolds Grange that was already an Australian icon. Both vineyards, endowed with some of the oldest Shiraz vines are something to behold, but in the Australian context it is not unusual. There are plenty of gnarled doubled up vines variously described as old soldiers, old darlings etc and which a certain English wine writer has a penchant for hugging. Tyrrell’s in the Hunter Valley, Tahbilk and Best’s in Victoria, Brand’s in Coonawarra and a plethora of vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale also have old Shiraz vine material. It is not until recently (remember the vine-pull scheme of the early 1980s when several hundred acres of old vines were ripped out?) when wine producers began to identify the importance of heritage. In the early 1980s, before a meaningful export market had begun, the Australian market was electrified by the cult of wine science and cool climate wines. What makes Henschke different is that it was one of the first wineries to really identify the strengths of its family provenance and heritage and apply it to modern wine making. While Cyril Henschke did revive a winemaking tradition, it is Stephen and Prue Henschke who ennobled it through a painstakingly long programme of vineyard and winemaking research and development.
Cyril Henschke was a bon vivant and learned his craft with the help of other winemakers, particularly Wolf Blass, who introduced the technique of barrel fermentation. While he made some very good wines, some of which have stood the test of time (especially his embalmed/over sulphured Rieslings of the 1960s), it is really from 1978 when Henschke began to make a serious impression. This is the year 3-phase power was installed, providing for refrigeration and temperature controlled winemaking. The following year Stephen Henschke, Cyril’s son, took over the helm. Tragically, his father died in a shooting accident that year. Responsibility was thrust upon him at a relatively early age – a burden that may account for his quietly serious public face.
Relatively inexperienced, despite his exemplary tertiary credentials and previous winemaking experience, Stephen Henschke’s wines of the late 1970s and early 1980s are evolutionary in style and show a highly disciplined yet inquisitive approach to his craft. His marriage to the softly spoken but strong-willed polymath Prue (nee Weir) – now a viticulturalist and environmental activist of considerable note – has brought an enduring and formidable (indeed remarkable) partnership. Their phlegmatic and discrete contribution to the wider flowering and knowledge of the Australian wine industry should not be underestimated. Both are classic scientists who seem to wake up every morning with a new question to answer or a new issue to tackle. Their cluttered offices crammed with books (about everything) and scientific papers demonstrate my theory that disorderly desks often point to an ordered mind! Every square centimeter of both the Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone Vineyards has been trodden and surveyed from every possible scientific, cultural and heritage perspective – and with great enthusiasm. The projects have been diverse – from understanding the relationship between colour (anthocyanins) and phenolics (with Dr Patrick Iland – an exceptionally fine scholar, teacher and author), soil and environmental management to clonal selection programmes to maintain and improve the exceptional blood (or phloem) lines of this ancient genetic material. The threat of Phylloxera, that insidious creature which sucks the life out of vines, is also taken seriously. To enter these vineyards you are required to wear protective booties or have your shoes drenched. This precaution illustrates the extreme lengths at which the Henschke’s will go to preserve their immediate and wider family inheritance.
Both Henschke Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone began to make a serious impact on the secondary market around 1990. Although by this time these wines were both well regarded, serious collectors were prior to this more focused on imported wines, especially Bordeaux and Burgundy. The imported market paradigm had imploded because of recession, spiralling costs associated with international exchange rates and ever increasing, often greedy, pricing. As a result collectors and wine enthusiasts re-directed their attention towards ultra-fine Australian wine in a profound way. It coincided with a time – the 1986 vintage – when many Australian wineries finally got their act together and confidently threw off their Francophile mantels. Certainly in my view it is the year when Henschke came of age.
Readers may raise a few eyebrows because of my background as an auctioneer and wonder about the relevance of the secondary wine market. But the point should be made that prior to 1990 only morsels of Hill of Grace (and Mount Edelstone for that matter) were being traded – illustrating the cruel truth (in wine anyway) that many people don’t value quality unless there is price-tag attached to it. Once the market began to move forward, this was further borne out by the relatively small volume of stock available. These days the volume of Henschke wine coming onto the market through private cellars has increased markedly – in times of primary market allocation and scarcity. Both these wines have been included in all three Classifications of Australian Wine by Langton’s (1991, 1996, 2000) at the very least an important market indicator. In these times of pseudo-celebrity wine journalism where some wine producers (particularly the Bordelais) have caved into obsessive opinion and totally compromised their winemaking philosophy, and where – through a great deal of hyperbole rather than substance – it seems the pack of Australian cards has been thrown up into the air, it is entirely appropriate to scrutinize what is considered an absolute blue-chip Australian stock.
Forty wine enthusiasts, mostly readers of Divine Magazine, attended the tasting I participated in. After each bracket a discussion took place. The wines were not served blind; the vintages were all in context with each other. Oddly a representative of Henschke who was in attendance described the tasting as “unofficial”. In other words most of the wines had been sourced from private cellars and auction houses (gasp!). I have long believed that once a bottle leaves a wine producer’s cellar, as most do and are intended to do, the wine must stand up for itself. After all most people drink wine “unofficially”!
Hill of Grace
Nicolaus Stanitski, a Henschke ancestor, originally planted the Hill of Grace vineyard during the 1860s above the Barossa Valley. During the 1950s Cyril Henschke took his family concern back to wine and established the Hill of Grace label in 1956. The Shiraz vines – many now over 140 years old – are among the world's oldest genetic Shiraz plant material. It is remarkable that the vineyard remained intact considering the economic uncertainty and the social conditions of the time. The vineyard is planted on red clay soils overlain by sandy and silty loams interspersed with gravels. There are several blocks including Grandfather’s Post Office Blocks One and Two, Young which is made up of the younger selected material located near the vines of the old post office, and the Church Block, House Block and Windmill Block. Vintage takes place during mid to late April, each parcel vinified separately to maximise blending options. The Hill of Grace style has developed along Grange lines, but by a circuitous route. Vinification takes place in open headed down fermenters with regular pumping over. Towards dryness the wine is drained and pressed. Partial barrel fermentation in a combination of new American and French oak follows to integrate oak and create complexity. The wine is then allowed to mature in the same oak for a period of about 18 months before bottling and further maturation. In my opinion vintages before 1978 are a hit and miss affair and are not worth seeking out – unless for reference purposes.
Henschke Vineyard Technical Information:
HILL OF GRACE
Location: Eden Valley wine region, 4 km north-west of Henschke Cellars at Keyneton, in the Barossa Range, South Australia.
Varieties: Shiraz (on own roots). Vines originate from pre-phylloxera material brought from Europe by the early European settlers. Riesling and Semillon.
Wines Produced: Shiraz – individual vineyard bottling since 1958.
Age: Oldest vines planted in 1860s.
Average Yield: 5 tonnes/hectare (2 tonnes/acre)
Soil: Alluvial, sandy loam over clay.
Trellis: 2 wire vertical/single wire at 70 centimetres.
Planting: Wide planting – 3.1 metres x 3.7 metres. Most are planted east-west, some north-south. Dry grown.
Treatments: Tilled and dodged for many years without herbicide. Only copper and sulphur used for foliage sprays. Now mulched and grassed down. Fungus problems are minimal. Vineyard can be considered 'organic'.
Maintenance Quality: Mass selection carried out over two growing seasons. Establishment of a mother source block.
Rainfall: 520 mm
Altitude: 400 metres
Latitude: 34 degrees 30'
Longitude: 139 degrees 07'
Henschke Mount Edelstone
Mount Edelstone (from the German 'Edelstein' meaning gemstone) is a single dry grown Shiraz vineyard planted by Ronald Angas in 1918 and through the 1920s. Henschke made wines from Mount Edelstone as early as 1952, although Cyril Henschke did not purchase the vineyard until 1974. By this stage Mount Edelstone was already recognised as an important vineyard site. Located on the eastern slopes of Mount Edelstone this 40 acre vineyard comprises low yielding gnarled vines, many well into their eighties and planted on deep red sandy loams over laminated siltstones. This low input vineyard is being gradually re-trellised to the Scott Henry system, where shoots are trained upwards and downwards to maximise exposure of leaves and fruit to sunlight. The oldest vines are trained on a traditional two-wire trellis. The site is cooler and higher than the Barossa floor although the climate is essentially Mediterranean. Vintage takes place in mid to late April. The wine is fermented in open top slate 'headed down' fermenters. Fermentation is completed in a combination of new American and French oak.
Henschke Vineyard Technical Information:
MOUNT EDELSTONE
Location: Eden Valley wine region, 4 km north-west of Keyneton in the Barossa Range of South Australia.
Varieties: Shiraz, on own roots, dry grown.
Wines Produced: Individual vineyard bottling since early 1950s.
Age: Planted in 1918.
Average Yield: 6 tonnes/hectare (2.5 tonnes/acre).
Soil: Deep sandy loam, over red clay loam, overlying laminated siltstone.
Trellis: Five trellis types - Twin Wire Vertical, Vertical Shoot Positioned, High Single Wire, Scott Henry System and Smart Dyson.
Planting: Wide planting – 3.7 m x 3.7 m giving 783 vines/hectare. Rows are planted east-west. Dry grown.
Treatments: The vines are mulched with wheat straw with a permanent sward of grass in the row, so herbiciding and working the soil are techniques no longer used.
Maintenance Quality: Mass selection carried out over three growing seasons. Establishment of a nursery source block. Assessment of trellis systems and use of rootstock.
Rainfall: Average annual, 600 mm.
Altitude: 400 metres
Latitude: 34 degrees 32'
Longitude: 139 degrees 06'
Aspect: Easterly
Size: 16 hectares (40 acres)
Awards: National wine show awards for every vintage since first shown in 1956
Source – Henschke and www.langtons.com.au
Scoring – My points (out of 20) are rounded down to the nearest half point. Vintage reports are sourced from Henschke.
1988
Excellent winter rains, hail damage in spring, rains during flowering. A very hot summer with a week and a half of century heat in January. February was cool and misty. Another 10 day heat wave occurred at the end of March. Picked March 16-18.
Hill of Grace
Medium crimson/brown. Intense, black cherry, mineral, cassis aromas with some meaty/soy complexity and hints of aniseed. The palate is loose knit and round with red cherry/cassis and meaty/soy characters, slinky fine tannins and underlying oak finishing long and flavoursome. Absolutely at peak and in excellent balance. 18.5 points (93/100).
Mount Edelstone
Medium crimson, but showing much more youthful hues than Hill of Grace. Intense, cherry menthol aromas with touches of iodine and malt oak characters. Richly concentrated palate with cherry/chocolate flavours and strong menthol nuances. Some malt oak, ripe gravelly tannins and plenty of flavour length. A very nice wine, ready to drink – but not quite up to same level as Hill of Grace. 18 points (91).
1989
Great vintage. Average to good yields. Mild and above average winter rainfall and a hot, windy start to spring. Further drizzly windy weather during flowering resulted in poor fruit set in some Shiraz in the Barossa Ranges. A mild, dry summer set the scene for excellent quality that was only spoilt by two weeks of excessive heat when vintage started in late February and finished mid-March.
Hill of Grace
A surprise wine in the tasting because of the reputation of the 1989 vintage across the eastern states. Medium crimson. Intense, ground coffee menthol aromas with some mocha-berry meaty nuances. The palate is quite restrained and elegant with emphasis on structure rather than fruit. Fine lacey tannins and minerally acidity but with a bright core of blackberry pastille/mocha fruit characters. Excellent flavour length. A very complete likeable wine but with some contrived cherry nuances. 18 points (90/100).
Mount Edelstone
This wine is showing more development. Medium crimson colour with herb garden/mandarin/ornage peel aromas and favours with some choco-berry nuances. The palate is looseknit and medium concentrated with fine chalky slightly grippy tannins, underlying oak, finishing quite herbal and tight. Drink up 17 points (85/100).
In my opinion 1989 is a good rather than great vintage.
1990
Picture perfect season. Good winter rains, perfect spring, mild summer, excellent ripening conditions. Largest yields on record with possibly the best quality for 2-3 decades.
Hill of Grace
Medium crimson colour. Intense, pure choco-berry aromas with some gamey nuances and malt/tropical oak characters. A well knitted wine with plenty of sweet fruit. The palate is richly flavoured and beautifully concentrated with plenty of choc-berry and meaty/gamey flavours and developing soy/demi-glace characters – all underpinned by savoury slightly tropical (American) oak, fine grainy tannins and plenty of flavour length. Superb wine showing quality of vintage. The sheer fruit power envelops the oak. Despite the success it appears this vintage foreshadowed a toning down of the American oak component in subsequent vintages. 19.5 points (97/100)
Mount Edelstone
Medium crimson colour. More developed than Hill of Grace but all the same a lovely complex wine with cranberry/chocolate/vanillin aromas with some paneforte/mint nuances. The palate is very loose knit and supple with rich chocolate/cranberry flavours and some meaty characters, fine leafy tannins finishing gravelly and long. 18.5 points (94/100).
1991
A short winter with below-average rainfall. Mild spring with early budburst and flowering and warm to hot summer. The earliest vintage on record. The warm to hot weather produced high sugar levels and below-average yields, yet great concentration.
Hill of Grace
Deep crimson colour. Beautifully focussed sweet-fruited wine with blackberry chocolate aromas, perfectly seasoned savoury oak and some meaty nuances. The palate is deeply concentrated and layered with pure blackberry and chocolate/liquorice characters, plenty of mocha/savoury oak characters, fine sinewy long tannins, finishing with superb flavour length and a kick of malty/savoury oak. The ne plus ultra vintage of the 1990s. 20 (100/100).
Mount Edelstone
Medium crimson. Raspberry malty aromas with some barnyard/gamey complexity. The palate is rich and flavoursome with plenty of raspberry/choco-berry/gamey flavours, fine slinky tannins and plenty of malt oak. Finishes firm and tight. 17.5 (88/100).
1992
Late wet winter despite rainfall being 50mm below average. The mild spring was ideal for flowering and encouraging excellent berry set. A long, dry, cool summer with the coolest January on record delaying harvest. Yields 10% less than 1990, though higher than predicted.
Hill of Grace
Incredibly youthful and deep crimson colour. Lovely blackcurrant pastille/dark chocolate aromas with plenty of malt/mealy oak and some nutty/ginger/aniseed nuances. Very deeply concentrated wine with blackberry/mocha/ginger/spice flavours, beautifully seasoned and fresh savoury oak, firm gravelly/grippy tannins finishing long and almost without vanishing point. A wine of exceptional class and polish. 18.5 points (94/100).
Mount Edelstone
Deep medium crimson. Complex blackberry seaweedy aromas with some biscuity/tropical oak. Palate is very savoury with blackberry fruit, plenty of savoury bisquity/malt characters, fine chocolate/lacey tannins building up quite firm and sinewy. 18.5 points (93/100).
1993
A difficult start to the growing season with rainfall in 1992 nearly double the average (500mm). It was the wettest year since 1851 and the wettest December recorded for 26 years – 51% of the rainfall falling between September and December. Spring weather therefore was very unpredictable and not particularly conducive to flower or berry set, resulting in below-average yields. Constant rains and high humidity produced ideal conditions for fungal diseases, particularly downy mildew. This caused enormous problems for the Eden Valley growers who are moving towards minimal chemical input viticulture. A severe hailstorm in December reduced the yield to below 25% of the average. A dry, mild summer with vintage approximately one month later than usual. The coolest February since 1954. April’s warm, dry weather encouraged an unexpected rapid ripening of the below-average crop.
Hill of Grace
Deep crimson colour. Smokey tropical mulberry aromas with touches of herb garden. Quite a soupy contrived wine with mulberry herbgarden flavours, pronounced smoky tropical oak, fine sinewy/leafy tannins finishing firm. A brief period of shade in a decade of sunshine. 16 points (81/100).
Mount Edelstone
Deep crimson colour. Smoky cassis chocolatey aromas with some herb garden/menthol characters. Richly flavoured supple cassis chocolate flavours, fine slinky tannins and some underlying malt oak. Finishes earthy and long. Totally outclasses Hill of Grace. 17.5 points (88/100).
1994
A mild, dry summer gave quite a late, slow start to vintage which, followed by a fortnight’s hot weather, saw everything ripen at once. Excellent fruit quality with below-average yields.
Hill of Grace
Deep colour. Intense, creamy choco-liquorice blackberry aromas with strong but beautifully focussed savoury/malt new oak. Plush deep concentrated wine tightened up by pronounced tannins and a fair whack of oak. The flavours are rich with choco-cherry fruit flavours and plenty of fresh savoury walnutty nuances, finishing minerally and long. 18.5 points (93/100).
Mount Edelstone
Medium deep crimson colour. Very perfumed and complex wine with raspberry/mulberry aromas and some smoky/ wet bitumen nuances. The palate is well concentrated with raspberry/mulberry flavours, supple lacey tannins and underlying bisquity oak finishing long and flavoursome. 18.5 points 18.5 points (94/100).
1995
The culmination of two drought-affected winters, record severe spring frosts, poor fruit set and a hot, dry summer set the scene for a borderline disaster. A warm, dry January and February combined with low crop levels brought an all too early harvest for earlier ripening varieties, resulting in ripe fruit with little flavour. The coldest March on record, with ripening halted for 2-3 weeks, allowed fruit to develop more flavour and intensity. Fortunately, the weather remained dry and the cold nights retained the natural acidity in the fruit. Varieties and vineyards harvested during a warmer April gave rise to excellent colour and concentration in the reds. Yields down by 30-40%.
Hill of Grace
Deep crimson colour. Intense, chocolate/ cherry brandy/rum and raisin aromas with some smokey/game nuances. High tensile palate with cherry chocolate flavours, fraught acidity, fine sinewy/leafy tannins and oak poking through markedly. Unfocussed year but marginally better than 1993. Not a long-term proposition. 16.5 points (82/100).
Mount Edelstone
Medium deep crimson. Cassis/mocha aromas with touches of herb garden. The palate is loose knit with choco/cassis/leafy flavours, sinewy fine but rather bitter tannins finishing quite malty and with a slick of tannins. Slightly more successful than Hill of Grace. 17 points (86/100).
1996
An average winter rainfall preceded the vintage (after two consecutive drought years). A mild spring with excellent flowering conditions and a mild, cool but windy summer allowed above average yields. A cool, dry autumn provided an exceptionally long, slow ripening period and very good flavour development. Yields of up to 15% above average with superb quality.
Hill of Grace
Medium deep crimson. Intense and complex ground coffee/chocolate box/black cherry/rhubarb/blackberry aromas with hints of bitumen and malt/savoury oak. The palate is wonderfully concentrated and powerful with deep set blackberry/mocha flavours intertwined with plenty of malt/spicy oak, fine lacey tannins finishing up firm, but with excellent flavour length. An immensely fine wine with wonderful balance and cellaring potential. 19.5 points (99/100).
Mount Edelstone
Medium deep colour. Complex beetroot/blackcurrant pastille/demi-glace aromas with hints of menthol/bitumen and underlying savoury/tropical oak. The palate is rich with beef stock/blackberry/menthol flavours, fine pronounced (quite grippy) tannins (almost like Cabernet), but lovely savoury oak. Finishes quite firm and tight with some menthol/beetroot/demi-glace notes. 18 points (90/100).
1997
A wet winter with average rainfall during that period. A mild, dry spring, leading to excellent growth, good set and vigour. Late September spring frosts caused significant damage with losses of up to 30%. One of the hottest summers on record with the hottest two-week period in February recorded since 1910. Rain during summer was a godsend to the old dry-grown vines beginning to feel the lack of water, despite causing some splitting and mildew. A mild finish to the season ensuring excellent ripening conditions and accumulation of colour and flavour.
Hill of Grace
Medium crimson colour. Raspberry/mulberry creamy aromas with plenty of savoury oak and touches of leafiness and chocolate. Well-concentrated palate with raspberry/mulberry/cherry flavours matched with very classy bisquity/malt oak and leafy/chocolatey tannins building up firm and tight. A really well made wine but only a medium term prospect. 18 points (89/100).
Mount Edelstone
Medium crimson colour. Intense raspberry/menthol aromas with some blackcurrant pastille and somke matchstick characters. The palate is soupy with raspberry/chocolate flavours and plenty of malt oak, fine pronounced drying tannins finishing grippy and quite oaky. 17 points (85/100).
1998
The vintage was the result of an unusual year, that in general terms was attributed to El Nino. The preceding winter was unusually dry with frosty nights and clear days, with the rain coming in spring. The flourishing vines benefited from the greenhouse effect. Generally a mild summer with a burst of heat mid-January and at the end of February that delayed the ripening process. An early onset of autumn meant a late harvest. Average yields, good to exceptional quality, with a lot of flavour. Approximately 70mm of rain during Easter and the following two weeks heralded the onset of Botrytis, affecting late varieties. An exceptional vintage for colour.
Mount Edelstone
Deep colour. Intense blackberry/tomato leaf menthol aromas with touches of black olive and underlying savoury oak. The palate is highly concentrated and sweet fruited with blackberry/black olive characters, cedar/savoury oak and fine lacey/supple tannins finishing long and flavourful. 18.5 points (93/100).
This wine is controversial – some wine critics pointing out that it has unacceptably high levels of Brettanomyces. The problem with this blanket dismissal is that this spoilage yeast – often found in red wine anyway – can be detected at varying levels depending on previous storage conditions. Hence a bottle of exactly the same vintage can land up having high or lower levels of Brett, depending on where it has been lying. Brettanomyces is the emerging issue among technical tasters – the vinous equivalent of whether Muttiah Muralitharan is a chucker or not. I have previously liked this wine and decidedly enjoyed it again in this tasting. Indeed – amongst the 40 odd tasters – it was one of the favourites.
1999
An unfavourable season with below-average rainfall and above average temperatures over the summer months. A combination of mid to late March rains and heat stress caused problems. An average Shiraz year.
Mount Edelstone
Deep colour. Intense, choc-mint aromas with some meaty/wet stone aromas. Very raw tightly knit and concentrated wine with blackberry/black olive /briary flavours, plenty of savoury oak, soupy tannins finishing firm and sinewy. While the Barossa Valley can claim an exceedingly fine vintage – obviously the Eden Valley experienced a more difficult year. Medium term wine. 16.5 points (83/100).
Hill of Grace has a rare pure fruit resonance that captures the warp and woof of a unique vineyard, regardless of winemaking philosophy. Magnificent vineyard resources, superb technical skills and craftsmanship propel Hill of Grace onto a higher plain. The sheer consistency of style and character is remarkable, especially considering that it is a single vineyard wine. It is not as powerful as Grange (a multi-vineyard/district blend), nor as densely rich as many Barossa Shirazes. However, it is a highly refined, beautifully proportioned wine. It is in every respect a great Australian Shiraz.
Mount Edelstone (a wine that I have always felt is undervalued), while showing consistency in style, is largely overshadowed by Hill of Grace. Generally the bright fruit quality, underlying well-integrated oak and supple tannins in a good vintage, justify its reputation as one of the better Australian ultra-fine Shirazes on the market. In a cool difficult season the tannins can be quite pronounced even harsh; there is plenty of light and shade in Mount Edelstone reflecting the nature of single vineyard wines. The winemaking philosophy is essentially the same (yet the wines are markedly different) with only a passing semblance of regional character. In this tasting Mount Edelstone rarely challenged or eclipsed its stable mate.
Prue and Stephen Henschke celebrate 25 years of the Henschke custodianship next year (2004). While the heritage of the Henschke inheritance is impressive and romantic the realization of Hill of Grace as a national icon is a considerable achievement. Mount Edelstone is also a major tour-de-force. Years of meticulous viticultural and winemaking refinements have taken place. Half a lifetime of daily commitment has passed by. In our contemporary culture of instant gratification and celebrity, here is a true example of superb Australian wine provenance – uncompromising and understated, yet reflecting the magical power of nature and nurture.
Andrew Caillard, MW
Langton’s Fine Wines
An earlier version of this article was published in Divine Magazine: Issue 32, February/April 2003 – the Barossa issue. See www.divinemagazine.com.au.
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Nicky Riemer – the new Head Chef at Langton’s Restaurant
Langton's Exchange in 2006
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV – International Reception, Predictions and Tastings
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV – International Reception, Predictions and Tastings
LANGTON’S EXCHANGE – BUY NOW and SAVE 15%
Great Wines Estates of WA Live Auction (V) – Open for Bidding Online October 21 to November 12
Langton’s 2005 Classification IV
2005 Classification in Gourmet Traveller WINE
Bordeaux 2004 – A Classic Vintage
Penfolds Grange Auction – Now Open
MCWILLIAMS Celebrity Blend-Off for Charity Wine Auction
Grange Auction Open for Bidding
LANGTON’S EXCHANGE – BUY NOW!
1998: Vintage of the Century
A Vertical Tasting of De Bortoli Noble One
The Story of Grange by Max Schubert (1915–1994)
Penfolds Grange Auction June 13 - July 14, 2003
A Lazy Eye on Pink Cliffs & One Eye
Henschke Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone
Selling at Langton’s in 2003
Australian Wine Exchange offers Giaconda Chardonnay
Large Format Grange Sets Records
The Sensational 2002 Central Otago Pinot Noir Vintage
Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration and Barrel Auction
The John (Jack) W Henderson Collection - Auction Closes February 3, 6pm
Shiraz Australia II Auction
Seppelt Para 100 Year Old Liqueur Vintage Tawny Barossa Valley - Vintages 1878-1903
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