2013 henschke, hill of grace vineyard, eden valley
Why We're Buying
Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz is the highest-priced red wine from the Eden Valley. It doesn't just live up to the hype, though; it exceeds it. No vintage has ever scored lower than a 93-point rating from a major publication, with the 2015 vintage earning a perfect score from critic James Suckling, who called it "a collector's dream."
Critics Scores
Wine Spectator
Elegant and refined, but still showing a succulent side, featuring creamy notes of maraschino cherry, raspberry coulis and fresh pomegranate at the core. Accents of sage, tobacco and espresso come in on the finish. Expressive and generous, with polished, lithe tannins. Drink now through 2030.
James Suckling
A dry season with reduced yields, but all the DNA is here with a rich array of baking spices permeating ripe blackberries, red berries and plums. Chocolate, plum cake, currants, freshly turned and loamy earth and dried sage leaves, too. Very complex. The palate's smoothly arranged around the fine, long tannins that carry a concentrated core of blackberries, tarry, dark stony flavors, ripe blood plums and a long trail of deeply spicy warmth through the finish. Hints of mocha and expresso to close. Elegant, complex and complete. This is very approachable now. Typically though, it's a wine that is best drunk at 20 or more years from vintage.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Another terrific HoG, the 2013 Hill of Grace Shiraz is dense and rich, thickly concentrated and full-bodied yet not heavy or bulky in the slightest. It's kept lively through a fine dusting of savory spices—allspice, clove, star anise—and juicy, mouthwatering acids, which support the blackberry and plum fruit. The finish, framed by softly dusty and supple tannins, suggests a wine capable of at least two decades of positive evolution.
Wine Enthusiast
Despite the hot, early 2013 harvest, Australia’s most famous single-vineyard wine is once again a thing of beauty. The nose croons to a medley of ripe red berries and plums followed by eucalyptus, black pepper, pencil lead on a core of damp earth and iodine. The palate slinks with a satiny texture and primary fruit. Charred wood, leather and graphite are knit together with threads of fine, silky tannins. The finish is long, tangy and a touch savory. In this historic producer’s signature style, power and elegance reside seamlessly beside one another. (Cellar Selection)