Henschke, `Mount Edelstone` Eden Valley Shiraz
Vintage: 2018
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | HE503B18 | 6 x 75 | Screwcap | Contact Us |
| 2018 | HE503N18 | 6 x 75 | Screwcap | Available |
Producer
The Henschke family have made wine at their estate in the Eden Valley since 1868, with fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Henschke taking over in 1979. Together with his viticulturist wife, Prue, they have built upon their inheritance, transforming this traditional producer into one that is celebrated worldwide. Their two flagship single vineyards wines, ‘Hill of Grace’ and ‘Mount Edelstone’, have become two of Australia’s most acclaimed.
Henschke own three vineyards in the Eden Valley and one in the Adelaide Hills, all of which are farmed in line with biodynamic principles. Prue’s pioneering work in the vineyard cannot be underestimated. Over the past 50 years she has worked tirelessly, vine by vine, to improve the health of the vineyards through meticulous soil management and reintroducing native plants to promote biodiversity.
In 2024 Prue became the inaugural inductee into the James Halliday Hall of Fame, the highest honour bestowed by Halliday Wine Companion: “Prue Henschke is someone who could easily have won Viticulturist of the Year, in any ‘competition’ around the world, every year. She could because every year she leaves her world that little bit healthier, and that little bit better. If the ‘Hill of Grace’ vineyard could talk, you’d reckon that it would thank the world and perhaps even the Lord for bestowing the force-of-nature that is Prue Henschke upon it.” In 2025, Stephen was honoured with the IMW’s Winemaker’s Winemaker Award which recognises outstanding winemaking achievement. Stephen was lauded as “a true custodian of Australia’s fine wine heritage and a pioneer in shaping its future.”
The eight-hectare ‘Hill of Grace’ vineyard, first planted in 1860, is situated in the historic village of Parrot Hill, four kilometres northwest of Henschke Cellars. Though originally purchased by second-generation Paul Gotthard Henschke in 1891, it was not until 1958 that fourth-generation winemaker Cyril Henschke made the first single vineyard Shiraz bottling from its grapes. Cyril then purchased the nearby 16-hectare ‘Mount Edelstone’ vineyard in 1974, from which he had already been buying fruit and making ‘Mount Edelstone’ Shiraz for over 20 years.
For the revered single vineyard wines, the 2021 vintage has been hailed as the standout of the decade and promises to be remembered for wines of complexity with exceptional varietal expression, balance and purity. Renowned expert on Australian wine, Andrew Caillard MW, suggested that the 2021 vintage was “heaven sent” and would be remembered as one of the most spectacular in recent memory.
Vineyards
The 16 hectare Mount Edelstone vineyard, situated at an elevation of 400 metres in the Eden Valley, was planted in 1912. Unusual for its time, only Shiraz was planted. First bottled as a single-vineyard wine in 1952, Mount Edelstone is the longest continuously produced single-vineyard Shiraz in Australia. The ancient soils are deep red-brown clay-loam, resulting in low yields from over 100 year-old dry-farmed, ungrafted vines. Organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard are used. Three quarters of the vines are trained on a Scott Henry trellis, the remainder on original two-wire trellises.
Vintage
A moderately wet winter was followed by average spring conditions. Ideal flowering conditions in late spring/early summer lead to the potential for average yields. Late December was warm and dry ensuring healthy canopies with low disease pressure. The summer months were typically hot and dry but extreme heat periods were shorter than in recent memory. March and April provided the light and warmth which lead to full and balanced maturity across all varieties. The 2018 vintage will be considered a standout of the decade.
Vinification
Fruit from the 106-year-old vines were hand harvested in the early morning. Individual blocks were picked separately and remained so throughout the vinification process until final blending. In the winery, grapes were destemmed and lightly crushed into small, concrete, open-top fermenters. A submerged cap was performed to manage a slow tannin extraction. The fermentations were controlled with pump-overs twice daily. After 7-10 days just prior to reaching dryness, the fermentations were gently pressed to barrel with the primary fermentation finishing in 77% French and 23% American oak (27% new and 73% seasoned) hogshead barrels. The wine was aged in barrel for 20 months before blending and bottling. It was then aged for a further three years in bottle prior to release.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
Medium garnet with crimson hues. Intense and evocative aromas of briary blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, with lifted notes of sage, bay leaf, crushed flowering herbs, black pepper, anise and hints of cedar. The palate is rich and complex with well-defined blackberry, mulberry, red plum and black currant fruit, layered with sage, black pepper and bay leaf, and carried by fine-grained, mature, velvety tannins for an almost endless finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
14.5%
Acidity
6.47 g/l
pH
3.54