1982 Henschke Hill Of Grace Shiraz 750ml

Over 100 years ago Johann Christian Henschke came from Silesia to settle and farm in the Eden Valley region. By the time third-generation Paul Alfred Henschke took over the reins in 1914, the famous Hill of Grace shiraz vines were more than 50 years old. They were planted around the 1860s by an ancestor, Nicolaus Stanitzki, in rich alluvial soil in a shallow fertile valley just north-west of the winery. Hill of Grace is a unique delineated single historic vineyard. The vineyard lies opposite a beautiful old Lutheran Church, built of local field stone, which was euphoniously named Gnadenberg, meaning Hill of Grace. Cyril Henschke, the fourth generation, made the first single-vineyard wine from these vines in 1958. The original vines are now over 100 years old. The handpicked grapes are vinified in traditional open-top fermenters.

Vintage Description

The 1982 vintage proved excellent in both quality and quantity. Yields saw significant increases, with some grape varieties up by 50% or more. Adequate winter rains and a gentle spring ensured healthy fruit development. Although the summer was dry and generally mild, a severe heatwave just before harvest posed challenges. Luckily, abundant soil moisture from the exceptionally wet winter helped sustain the vines through the hot period. Late April rains abruptly ended the vintage season, causing grape splitting and some fruit loss.