I would like to go back again to the Barossa Valley to a visit at Henschke, unfortunately not physically but just for this post. It was the wine region I was looking forward the most to visit because of their amazing wines and wineries.
The Barossa Valley is one of Australia’s most historic and celebrated wine regions, known especially for its old vine Shiraz, warm climate richness, and a strong sense of family-owned heritage. Within this context, visiting one particular producer felt almost inevitable.
I have visited one of the most iconic and first winery of the region, the Henschke Family Wines. This is a 151 years old winery, started by Johann Christian Henschke who purchased the first land in 1862. First, like everyone at the time, was producing fortified wines and in 1891 his son bought a land which is called the Hill of Grace vineyard. They changed from fortified production to table wines only in the ’50s.
Today, Henschke is not only a historic name but also one of the benchmarks of fine wine in Australia, especially in the nearby Eden Valley, where elegance and altitude shape a slightly cooler expression compared to Barossa.
Hill of Grace – one of Australia’s most iconic wines
The story behind the vineyard
The single vineyard wine that they still make of the Hill of Grace is their best known wine, probably they are the first from the region who started to focus on vineyard selection and these are the places where the plantings as old as the 1860s.
The Hill of Grace vineyard itself is almost mythical in the wine world, with ungrafted vines that have survived for more than a century and a half, something extremely rare on a global scale.
Why Hill of Grace is so special
The Hill of Grace wine is made with 155 years old vine Shiraz on its own rootstock with biodynamic treatment and without irrigation. That makes this wine so special and concentrated in flavours and aromas.
This combination of vine age, farming philosophy, and site expression results in a wine that is often described as one of the greatest Shiraz wines in the world.
Unfortunately when I was there I couldn’t taste it, because in the cellar door they don’t have it open. If I would go for the VIP tour and tasting, I could, but I was already booked at Penfolds at the same time. What a shame!
Tasting experience at Henschke Cellar Door
But still I had the chance to sip some of their other really good wines, whites and reds as well.
White wine highlight – Croft Chardonnay
As a white I think the most popular is the Croft, a hundred percent Chardonnay with a lot of complexity, citrus fruits, silky oak texture, good acidity and a long finish. I have tasted this wine before, during my time in London, but every time I am amazed by Croft. One of my favourite New World Chardonnay definitely.
This style of Chardonnay reflects a balance between richness and freshness, something that Eden Valley does particularly well thanks to its cooler nights and higher elevation.
Red wine highlight – Eden Valley Bordeaux blend
As a red wine, my favourite was the Bordeux blend from the Eden Valley with a blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon complemented with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It was a fruit bomb with cassis, plums and black cherries and thanks to a bit of an age on the wine (2013), a nicely integrated tannins and spices but still really fresh, capable of aging for another 10 years easily.
This wine shows another side of the region, moving beyond Shiraz into structured, age-worthy blends with a clear nod to Bordeaux inspiration but still keeping a distinct Australian identity.
The cellar door experience
The Cellar Door just has been renovated so everything was beautiful and modern and the staff was really nice as well. The lady who drove me trought the wines and tasting was very kind and knowledgeable, they had some maps of the vineyard so you could place the grapes what you were tasting exactly.
This educational aspect made the tasting even more engaging, connecting each wine back to its origin and giving a clearer understanding of the estate’s philosophy.
Final thoughts – still on the bucket list
I really hope that one day I can go back and do the proper tour of the vineyards and have a sip of the Hill of Grace. It is still on the Bucketlist.
Have you been there before? How do you like their wines?
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