Wine Advisor
Henschke, Hill Of Grace Shiraz 2008
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
According to Stephen Henschke, the 2008 Hill of Grace Shiraz was among the earlier picks that vintage, avoiding the worst of the heatwave that followed. It was never the most elegant or perfumed vintage, but it's rich and creamy, loaded with mocha and blackberry flavors. Full-bodied and intense, it remains rather big and muscular, with a slightly coarse but tremendously long finish. It could go another 20 years in a cool cellar.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2008 Hill of Grace has a slightly closed nose before giving subtle notes of ripe black cherries, blackberries and violets with hints of cedar, pepper, green tea and cumin. There's a slight raisin character on the full-bodied palate with crisp acid, dense fruit and firm, grainy tannins, finishing long. Drink it from 2017 to 2035+. Importer: Negociants USA, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-0993
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
The 2008 Hill of Grace Shiraz is just looking so svelte and fine. The wine is elegant and spicy and super fine, and it leads with fresh leather and star anise, bay leaf, tobacco, curry leaf, cocoa and peppercorns that all twist and swirl through the bouquet. In the mouth, the tannins have evolved to a state of pure repose—seamless and fine, they flow and carry the Satsuma plum fruit along with it. This 2008 makes a very strong case for cellaring your wine for some time prior to drinking it. If you have the means, I would recommend buying some of this vintage (maybe solo, maybe with friends) and drinking a bottle. Experience the evolution of tannin and fruit. It's a wonder. It's a lovely wine, re-released into the wild. Lucky us. This has decades to go. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under Vinolok. 2008 experienced a heat wave in the fall (March 3-15), but thankfully most of the fruit for this wine was off by the time the heat became a problem.
Reviewed by: Vinous
From a heatwave vintage comes this decadent but shapely 2008 Shiraz Hill of Grace. It immediately delivers blackberry, chocolate and new leather notes with tar and cassis touches. The palate follows suit, bold and dry, with flavors of licorice, dried spices and roasted meats before a long and muscular finish. The 2008 is an outlier, but the quality is undeniable.
About the Producer
Henschkes family name and reputation are now being upheld by the fifth generation, Stephen and his wife Prue. Stephen is the biochemist and winemaker and Prue is the viticulturist. Over the past 14 years, Prue`s viticultural management has breathed new life into the vineyards, which fully capitalise on some of the most remarkable old vine material in the world. Both Stephen and Prue continue to craft their white wines with a focus on purity, while their red wines have a strong focus on terroir, using traditional winemaking techniques. The highly sought-after Hill of Grace is the product of vines planted in the 1860s and is Australia's greatest single vineyard Shiraz. HIil of Grace and Mount Edelstone are arguably the two oldest single vineyard wines produced in Australia that tell the wine story of Australia. Henschke Rieslings are the finest in the Eden Valley and amongst the very best in Australia.
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