Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2018 1.5L

The prestigious Australian winery Henschke has remained a family-owned establishment for over 153 years and six generations. Situated in Keyneton, South Australia, within the esteemed Eden Valley wine region, Henschke proudly stands as a distinguished member of Australia's First Families of Wine. Since its inception in 1862, when Johann Christian Henschke planted a modest vineyard in Keyneton, the Henschke family has continuously crafted exceptional wines, forging a legacy of excellence with vineyards in the Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills, including acclaimed single-vineyards, Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone.

The fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Carl Henschke and his viticulturist wife Prue took over the operation of the winery in 1979 and they are recognised around the world for their exceptional quality wines, innovative spirit, focus on restoring native vegetation, organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard. Johann Stephen Henschke, the eldest of Stephen and Prue’s three children has become the sixth generation member of the Henschke family since 1983. With the background of higher education in wine making, viticulture and oenology, Johann is now based at the family winery as winemaker and viticulturist while playing an important role of transferring his skill set and knowledge from the fifth to sixth generation. As the next generation prepares to navigate the well-documented challenges that lie ahead, Johann recognizes the indispensability of innovation and meticulous strategic planning. However, amidst these considerations, he firmly believes in upholding the time-honoured winemaking techniques that have been cherished by the Henschke family for generations. By ensuring that the legacy of Henschke is nurtured with the same prudence and care as it has always been, Johann and his peers can pass on a heritage that will endure and command the same esteemed reputation that it enjoys today.

Henschke's commitment to excellence and sustainable wine production has garnered well-deserved recognition and accolades. In 2021, the winery was honoured as the Wine Enthusiast New World Winery of the Year, a testament to their exceptional craftsmanship and dedication to pushing the boundaries of winemaking in the New World. Furthermore, Henschke was also named the Winery of the Year by the prestigious Halliday Wine Companion, solidifying their position as a leader in the industry. Additionally, Henschke's unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmentally conscious practices has been acknowledged with the prestigious Robert Parker Wine Advocate Green Emblem. This recognition highlights their remarkable efforts in reducing environmental impact while producing outstanding wines. Henschke's unwavering pursuit of excellence and dedication to sustainable practices make them a true icon in the world of wine.

The beautiful and historic name Mount Edelstone is a translation from the German Edelstein meaning ‘gemstone’, a reference to small yellow opals once found in the area. The Mount Edelstone Vineyard was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas who founded The South Australian Company and played a significant part in the formation and establishment of South Australia. Unusual for its time, the vineyard was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500-million-year-old geology in the vineyard has given rise to soils that are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from the dry-grown, ungrafted centenarian vines. First bottled as a single-vineyard wine in 1952 by fourth-generation Cyril Henschke, by the time Cyril purchased the vineyard from Colin Angas in 1974, Mount Edelstone was already well entrenched as one of Australia’s greatest shiraz wines. Crafted by the Henschke family for over 60 years now, Mount Edelstone is arguably the longest consecutively-produced, single-vineyard wine in Australia.

A moderately wet winter combined with average spring conditions meant that the vines grew well in the mild weather. Ideal flowering conditions in late spring/early summer led to the potential for near average yields. Late December became warm and dry, ensuring healthy canopies with low disease pressure. The summer months of January and February were typically warm and dry, characterised by above average overnight temperatures. The old-vine vineyards coped well with the warm nights, their deep roots able to withstand the warming and drying effect on the topsoil, maturing the balanced crops as autumn approached, March and April provided light and warmth to the Eden Valley which led to full and balanced maturity being achieved across all grape varieties. With warm sunny days and cool nights, the dry autumn guaranteed that pristinely healthy grapes arrived in the fermenters. All in all, the 2018 vintage will be considered a standout of the decade. Shiraz was certainly one of the highlights of the season, fittingly so in the year we celebrated our 150th anniversary of family winemaking.

Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2018 vintage was matured in 27% new and 73% seasoned (77% French, 23% American) oak hogsheads for 20 months prior to blending and bottling. Best served at 17°C. In the correct conditions, this wine could be cellared for 35+ years from vintage. 

Deep ruby with ruby hues, Spicy, complex and dark fruited aromas of blackberry, dark red plum and blueberry, with sage, bay leaf, thyme, anise, black pepper, nutmeg and cedar. A rich, plush and beautifully integrated palate offers layers of spicy dark fruits, pepper, sage, musk and clove, balanced by bright acidity, cxcellent depth and long and elegant fine, velvety tannins

Glorious wine. Untold depths of the richest blackberry and plum fruit with a magical bright finish ex livewire acidity - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion, 99 Points 

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal -  Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - Eden Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2018
Bottle Size - 1.5L Magnum
ABV - 14.9%