Concentration and succulent. A dark and deep red of intense depth, stewed fruits, toasted hazelnuts, rose water elements, exotic spice, milk chocolate and licks of salt bush and bay leaf with piquant lavender lift – what an array of characters here! Wonderful texture, and with that depth, a grace, of course, that feels so even and long. Glorious stuff, in a riper, richer vein.

95 points, Mike Bennie (March 2023)

Complex nose full of minty blackberries and blueberries. Spearmint, anise and licorice spices give a cool yet deep and “dark” tone to the nose. Almost rich, plush and pretty full but fresh on the palate, carried by svelte tannins that glide through to a super lengthy and nuanced finish. A little more vertical and powerful than Hill of Grace. Drinkable now, but will hold exceptionally well. Glass stopper.

96 points, Zekun Shuai, JamesSuckling.com (April 2023)

Mid purplish crimson. Intense, high-toned but super-ripe nose. Hint of tamarind in the sweet/salt register. Perfectly managed tannins that are present but not dominant and an appetisingly dry (as opposed to sweet) finish. Lifted ripe, but carefully controlled, relatively cool Shiraz notes with a lovely gentle, savoury finish. Nothing bombastic about this. A real charmer. You could drink this tonight, so well disguised by the fruit are the tannins. Next time I have a sore throat, please pour this down it. Beautifully judged.

18 points, JancisRobinson.com (March 2023)

While this nursery vineyard – planted by Prue Henschke in 1989 from a mass selection of 1860-planted Grandfathers vines that form the heart of Hill of Grace – doesn't yet have the concentration worthy of contributing to the grand vin, it was nevertheless complex and characterful enough to first be bottled as a single-vineyard wine in 2001, named for the Rosenzweig family who once ran the historic Parrot Hill Post Office that lies opposite. In this vintage it exudes raspberry, earthy beetroot, musky incense and Turkish Delight notes, given structure by powdery tannins and crunchy redcurrant acidity. And, suggestive or not, there is a pretty scent of roses running through.

95 points, Tina Gellie, Decanter (March 2023)

The 2018 Hill of Roses Shiraz is sourced from a block within the Hill of Grace vineyard that was planted in 1989 with the intention of being a nursery bloc. The planting there is known as the Post Office Block. While the vines are, at this stage, too young to be considered for inclusion in the Hill of Grace, the wine is considered special and warranting its own bottling. Personally, I feel the young vines lend an energy and vigor to the wine, and I like the red fruited clarity that it shows each year. It matured in a combination of new (25%) and seasoned (75%) French oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to release. The nose and the palate are totally aligned: red licorice, raspberries, crushed rocks, red velvet, sage, squid ink, aniseed/anise, quartz and brine. There's the telltale black tea and minerality of the Eden on show, too. This is a sensational wine. This is texturally svelte and seamless (the nod to red velvet above is a textural observation). I love it. If ever I was going to fall for this wine, it would be here, in this clear-spoken, gracefully enunciated 2018 vintage.

98 points, Wine Advocate (April 2023)

Deep, dark magenta, this is fragrant and exciting with an appealing purity. Chocolate, black fruits, tobacco leaves and it has that spice note. Length is impressive, the acidity fresh and the length is very good. Prue Henschke speaks of the five-spice character which is found in Hill of Grace, and that it is now becoming evident in the Hill of Roses vineyard, although she does note that it took 25-30 years before it became apparent. A superb wine with twenty years ahead.

97 points, Wine Pilot (April 2023)

Sourced from 29-year-old vines grown on a single block on the Hill of Grace vineyard; matured in French oak (25% new) for 18 months. A core of pure blackberry and dark plum characters leap from the glass along with hints of blackcurrant pastille, sage, bay leaf, dried meats, earth and a gentle violet note. A wonderfully balanced release with a pure, savoury fruit flow flecked with spice and gentle herbs on the finish. Powdered, granitic tannins frame the wine beautifully, finishing mineral-laden with crystal clear definition and impressive persistence.

97 points, Wine Companion (February 2023)