A mild and dry winter, followed by a dry and windy spring, saw frost events in September and November that disrupted budburst and young shoot growth. A hailstorm in late November impacted the fresh young shoots carrying the crop, with shiraz the most affected. Warmer than average temperatures in January and February, including the hottest summer’s day on record, led to the advancement of maturity and early onset of vintage. Warm weather in late summer maintained low disease pressure and small berry size, providing optimal ripening conditions. Despite miniscule yields, 2019 was a high-quality vintage with beautiful expressions of varietal character, good structure and excellent flavour intensity. The 2019 vintage will be remembered as a challenging season where regenerative viticulture and organic and biodynamic practices were vital to nurturing the health of the Henschke vineyards through an exceptionally warm and dry year.

The Wheelwright, first released to commemorate 150 years of Henschke family winemaking, pays tribute to our founder, winemaker Johann Christian Henschke. He was among the first generation of the early German Silesian community of the Barossa in South Australia and established the family winery in 1868. Johann Christian arrived as a skilled stonemason and wheelwright and planted his first vineyards in the high country of the picturesque Eden Valley. This wine is produced from old vine shiraz planted in 1968, a century later, by fourth-generation Cyril Henschke near the village of Eden Valley at 470m altitude. As per the Barossa Old Vine Charter, an ‘old vine’ is equal to or greater than 35 years of age.