Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2016

“The 2016 Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz is steeped in complexity, with aromas ranging from camphor, bay leaf and sage to smoke and grilled beef and from blueberries and blackberries to plums laced with spice. Full-bodied, rich and intense, it’s ripe and velvety textured, with a long, licorice-tinged finish and dusty tannins that bode well for the cellar. From vines planted in 1912, I suspect this will come close to the quality of the Hill of Grace at a fraction of the price. Tasted again the following day from the open bottle, this was even better, seamless, flowing and harmonious in the mouth. Drink: 2022-2040. 96 points

A member of the sixth generation of the family to work this Eden Valley property, Justine Henschke made it a point to show that the range of the family’s efforts extends well beyond the big-name icon Shiraz bottlings from Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone. In fact, this tasting included a few Henschke firsts for me—a Nebbiolo, a Tempranillo and a reserve-level Pinot Noir. The family’s Lenswood property suffered severe damage in the Adelaide Hills bushfire this year, and it remains to be seen how quickly those vineyards will bounce back (the portions that survived) or how quickly replanting will be able to fill that void in the lineup. At least for now, the quality level across all of the offerings is commendable, with only four out of the 28 wines failing to reach 90 points. For my money, the best values are the Mount Edelstone Shiraz and the Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon, but I sincerely doubt that anyone who springs for the Hill of Grace in either of these vintages will be disappointed.”

Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (05/20)