Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz 2010

Henschke’s Hill of Grace is easily Australia’s most sought after single vineyard wine, and rivals Penfolds Grange for the title of the country’s greatest ever wine. The vineyard was established at Parrot Hill in the Eden Valley (around 1860) by Nicolaus Stanitzki and has since been handed down through the generations to the Henschke family. Although first produced in 1958, it took nearly 30 years before the Hill of Grace Shiraz became truly famous, an effort recognised to be connected to the hard work and dedication of Stephen and Prue Henschke.

Over 170 years ago Johann Christian Henschke came from Silesia to settle and farm in the Eden Valley region. By the time third-generation Paul Alfred Henschke took over the reins in 1914, the famous Hill of Grace Shiraz vines were more than 50 years old. They were planted in rich alluvial soil in a shallow fertile valley, opposite the beautiful stone church euphoniously named Gnadenberg, meaning Hill of Grace. Cyril Henschke, the fourth-generation, made the first single-vineyard wine from these vines in 1958. The original Ancestor vines are now over 150 years old. 

The 2010 vintage of Hill of Grace is perfectly described by the word 'radiance'. Temperature, rainfall and harvest dates are often talked about when describing a vintage, but rarely is light mentioned. Fundamentally, light is one of the most important influences on the quality of the wine. The 2010 is all about the light. The growing season had more blue-sky days than cloudy, and the well-balanced, open canopies of the old vines allowed the light through to the ripening berries to develop exceptional flavour, colour and tannins. Furthermore, the weather patterns of the growing season were relatively moderate, with well-timed minor rainfall events that provided perfectly for this single vineyard. The 2010 Hill of Grace Shiraz is radiant, vibrant and opulent, with characteristic exotic spices, layers of texture, and refined silky tannins with incredible length. The vintage is rated as 'exceptional' and the wine will develop beautifully over the years to come. 

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - Eden Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2010
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%