Hill of Grace - the name of both the vineyard and the wine that has so beguiled lovers of red wine
Australia's most esteemed single vineyard wine, Henschke Hill of Grace, hails from a small patch in the Eden Valley, making it the pinnacle of exclusivity and a remarkable gift.
Hill of Grace is undoubtedly one of the most evocative names in the wine world. Translated from the German ‘Gnadenberg’, a region in Silesia, it is also the name of the charming Lutheran church overlooking the vineyard. This 4-hectare single-vineyard Shiraz is located in the historic village of Parrot Hill, 4 kilometers northwest of Henschke Cellars.
Over 165 years ago, Johann Christian Henschke emigrated from Silesia to farm in the Eden Valley region. By 1914, under third-generation Paul Alfred Henschke, the Hill of Grace vines were already over 50 years old, having been planted in the 1860s by ancestor Nicolaus Stanitzki. These vines thrive in rich, moisture-retentive soil at 400m altitude, with an average annual rainfall of 520mm. Hill of Grace, a historic single vineyard, lies across from an old Lutheran church named after Silesia's picturesque region Gnadenberg, or Hill of Grace. Cyril Henschke crafted the first single-vineyard Shiraz from this vineyard in 1958 using traditional methods.
In the current viticulture practices, Henschke are fortunate to blend the practical wisdom and knowledge passed down from previous generations with the advantages of international research. In the dry-grown vineyard on its original roots, Viticulturist has observed the benefits of mulching, composting, and using permanent swards, including native grasses, to enhance soil health and retain moisture.
Incorporating biodynamic principles into their vineyard management provides dual benefits: replacing inorganic fertilizers with compost and eliminating herbicides. Compost is enriched with manure from cows, eggshells from chickens, and recycled grape marc, which improves soil quality and, consequently, the wine.
Planting local native flora attracts beneficial insects and aids in pest and disease control. The influence of moon cycles has always played a significant role in Henschke vineyards, with the Hill of Grace vineyard typically harvested just before the Easter harvest moon.
