Hill of Grace is surely one of the most evocative phrases in the world of wine. It is a translation from the German ‘Gnadenberg’, a region in Silesia, and the name given to the lovely Lutheran church that overlooks the vineyard. The 4ha single-vineyard shiraz planting is situated at the historic village of Parrot Hill 4km northwest of Henschke Cellars.
Cyril Henschke created the first Hill of Grace in 1958 from Shiraz vines at Hill of Grace vineyard, up to 100 years old. The exceptional quality of the wine combined with the charm of the name captured the imagination of consumers.
Dressed in dark crimson with shimmering ruby hues, this wine exudes an intense fragrance. Blackberry, Satsuma plum, and blueberry aromas intertwine seamlessly with freshly crushed violets, anise, and exotic five spice, creating an enchanting bouquet. On the palate, a velvety texture envelops the senses, unveiling decadent layers of mulberry, dark red plum, and redcurrant, while hints of spice and pepper linger gracefully. Balanced by fine, mature tannins, the concentrated fruit core leads to an elegant finish of exceptional length, leaving a lasting impression.
The vivid colour, the perfume of the bouquet, the harmony of the red and black fruits, and the reassurance of precisely tailored tannins all add to the triumph of Prue Henschke in the vineyard, and Stephen Henschke in the winery. The synergy between these parts is such that there's no hint of a difficult - indeed, very difficult - vintage.
Rich, camphor nose with many layers. Real sweetness, with saltiness, on palate entry and waves of subsequent impact on the palate that has one of the longest finishes one might encounter. This remarkably small crop, thanks to hail and extreme heat in summer, shows no sign of dried fruit. There is quite enough juice and interest right through the tasting experience. Amazingly, you could enjoy drinking this now, even though the Henschkes suggest a life of 30 years from 2019.
Deep colour, still retaining a good tint of purple, the bouquet dusty/earthy/terracotta at first, then spicy berry fruits and earthy char notes join in, with black-loam nuances and the palate is deep and savoury, full-bodied and well supplied with drying tannins. The wine took time in the glass to reveal the fine detail for which the vineyard is renowned. The finish is big on black pepper drying tannins and savouriness. Concentrated and deep, and begs to be left alone in the cellar for a few years.
Deep crimson. Beautiful cassis, blackberry pastille, roasted chestnut, espresso, herb garden, star anise aromas. Silky smooth and inky textured wine with ample blackcurrant, blackberry pastille fruits, fine loose knit graphite tannins, crunchy fresh acidity and beautifully balanced mocha, roasted chestnut, hazelnut nougat, dark chocolate notes. A lovely chalky bitter-sweet finish with a fine tannin plume. Saturated and buoyant with superb mineral length. Atypical for Hill of Grace but I suspect bottle age will haul it back into line. A fascinating vintage and a beautifully made wine
Brooding blackberry and blueberry, with pronounced black tea notes, set the statuesque tone. In the mouth a dense tannin fretwork contains the muscular wall of dark fruit. Over four days, subtle flavours and textures of plum sauce and pomegranate syrup, orange blossom and rosewater (bergamot?) emerge, while the spiciness amplifies, with pungent liquorice, sandalwood, allspice and meaty cracked black pepper. Impressive grip, freshness and precision.