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 James Halliday named the Henschke Hill of Grace 2012 as his wine of the year last week at the annual award ceremony. The Henschke iconic label beat Australia’s most famous wine, Penfolds Grange to clinch the trophy. Halliday scored both Hill of Grace 2012 and the 2012 Grange 99 points out of 100 but decided the trophy in favour of Henschke.
“We are absolutely honoured and excited by it. I guess it’s really significant recognition for us, the enormous amount of work we do in the vineyards and a beautiful vineyard that goes back to the early pioneering days of South Australia; so it’s an amazing history,’’ said Stephen Henschke, the fifth-generation winemaker. Stephen brought the grapes from the nearby Henschke vineyard in South Australia’s Eden Valley. His viticulturist wife Prue has been tending to the 4 hA Henschke vineyard for almost 40 years, using organic and biodynamic principles.
“Hill of Grace vineyard is a special site. The vineyard is only made up of four hectares of shiraz ranging from 70 to over 150 year old vines. The wine really is history in the bottle,” said Stephen.
“I would really like for the Henschke vineyards to be seen as Australia’s first grapes. I would like people to perceive that’s what this is about; there’s no other wine in Australia that’s made from vines that are 100 years old and then made from them for another 50 years,’’ he said reportedly. When his father Cyril released the first Hill of Grace vintage in 1958, after the experimental vintage of 1951 Penfold Grange Hermitage, the grapes had came from vines that had been planted by Stephen’s great-great-grandfather in 1860. Stephen had taken control of the company in 1979.
 James Halliday said the Hill of Grace and Penfolds Grange were fantastic wines, or “next to God”. ‘It’s one of those judgment calls. I wanted to make them both joint winners but the team said I had to choose one. ‘
Stephen gives credit for the extra-ordinary wine to his wife Prue. I had met both of them in 2008 in Singapore at a Wine for Asia Seminar followed by a dinner where I had an exclusive chat with both of them “Her work is already showing huge benefits in soil health and moisture retention for these pre-phylloxera, dry-grown sentinels. Hill of Grace Shiraz is a reflection of the wonderful flavours and balance this site can achieve,” he had then said. The 2012 released in May this year, sells for A$800.
Tasting Notes of Henschke Hill of grace 2012
James Halliday’s Tasting Notes read, ‘While the fruit remains supreme, there are savoury tannins to support the 50-year cellaring potential of the wine. It is bottled under screw-cap, not the elegant Vino-Lok of past vintages, because you want the most secure closure for ultra-long cellaring. The wine is perfect colour, fragrant dark cherry/berry aromas and flavours, positive tannin and French oak support, great aftertaste. Drink by 2062; Date Tasted: March 2017; Alcohol: 14.5%; Rating: 99 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion
 Interestingly, the sample tasted by Campbell Mattinson, another influential Australian journalist who is a partner in Australia’s longest running online review The Wine Front tasted a bottle with the Vino-Lok. His notes: There are myriad flavours and aromas on offer here. It’s entrancing. Fennel, blackberry, violets, ground spice, a lick of soy, flickers of light, purrs of dark. A rumble of firm, integrated, robust tannin. This is a great one. Tasted: April 2017; Alcohol: 14.5%; Price: $825; Closure: Glass Stopper; Drink: 2020-2038+; Rating: 97 Points;; The Wine Front
Interview with Henschke and Prue at Wine for Asia 2008
I had the privilege of meeting the iconic couple at the Masterclass and sharing his company during the 'Wine Experience Dinner' at the Coriander Leaf Restaurant, in Clarkes Quay where I interviewed him. The mild mannered, modest Stephen revealed that he did not like 'Hill of Grace' to be referred to as a cult wine as that implied it was a trader wine where he picks up the wine to make a killing on selling. He felt it could be addressed as an iconic wine.
 Incidentally, when his father Cyril made the wine, people scoffed at the idea- those were the days of fortified wine in Australia. The international recognition came in 1984 when a group of 'Masters of Wine' (MW) visited Australia and tasted several wines including Hill of Grace. They gave glowing reviews. Tasting with other journalists followed and there was no looking back.
It may be an interesting comparison that during his father's time, the 'Hill of Grace' sold in Australia for around A$4. It sells for over A$800 now! And it is still on allocation.
The simple recipe of making good wine is when the viticulture bonds well with winemaking. What better example can there be than working with his wife of 42 years- Prue! Both of them went to study at the Geisenheim Institute in Germany, for 2 years. A graduate of Botany and Zoology, Prue knew enough of  plant life to immerse in viticulture while Stephen opted for winemaking at the Institute, now a University. It was here that he was impressed with the Vino-Lok technology when he presented a technical paper at a conference in Germany in 2004.
The 'Made for Each Other' couple make a perfect team to make the perfect wine-Henschke Hill of Grace.
Star Interview: Henschke and the Hill of Grace
Grange Set Auctioned for over A$260,000
Meanwhile, after a 1951 Grange fetching A$41,000 at an auction, a complete set of Grange from 1951 when the first experimental release from the winemaker Max Schubert was made to the
latest bottle of 2012 made by the current Chief Winemaker Peter Gago has been bought at an auction by a retired couple in Adelaide for A$260,000 (US$206,000). Both the 2012 vintages from Henschke and Penfolds were rated 99/100 by James Halliday.
The growth in value of full Grange sets is difficult to track because of the rarity of full sets. In 1988 a set from 1952-1982 sold for the then record price of A $16,500. In 2002 a full collection, then from 1951-1996 vintages, sold for A$190,680.
These wine bottles would probably never be opened. As the highest bidder John Davison admitted, it was bought as an investment for his grandchildren. It would perhaps come back in the market for resale in 10 years when one of them turns 21.
For earlier related Articles, visit
Glass Seal for Iconic Aussie Wine
Star Interview: Henschke and the Hill of Grace
Wine for Asia 2008 Kicks off in Singapore
Subhash Arora |