Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz Eden Valley 2018
Region: Eden Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2018
The Wine
The beautiful and historic name Mount Edelstone is a translation from the German Edelstein meaning ‘gemstone’, a reference to the small yellow opals once found in the area. The Mount Edelstone Vineyard was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas who founded The South Australian Company and played a significant role in the formation and establishment of South Australia. Unusual for its time, the vineyard was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500-million-year-old geology in the vineyard has given rise to soils that are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from the dry-grown, ungrafted centenarian vines.
A moderately wet winter combined with average spring conditions meant that the vines grew well in the mild weather. Ideal flowering conditions in late spring/early summer led to the potential for near-average yields. Late December became warm and dry, ensuring healthy canopies with low disease pressure. The summer months of January and February were typically warm and dry, characterised by above-average overnight temperatures. The old-vine vineyards coped well with the warm nights, their deep roots able to withstand the warming and drying effect on the topsoil, maturing the balanced crops as autumn approached. March and April provided light and warmth to the Eden Valley which led to full and balanced maturity being achieved across all grape varieties. With warm sunny days and cool nights, the dry autumn guaranteed that pristinely healthy grapes arrived in the fermenters. All in all, the 2018 vintage will be considered a standout of the decade. Shiraz was certainly one of the highlights of the season, fittingly so in the year we celebrated our 150th anniversary of family winemaking
Varieties: 100% Shiraz
Harvest Date: 21 March - 14 April
Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage
Maturation: Matured in 27% new and 73% seasoned (77% French, 23% American) oak hogsheads for 20 months prior to blending and bottling.
Cellaring Potential: 30+ years (from vintage)
Cellared says
Whilst HOG steels the limelight, Mount Edelstone must be one of Australia’s finest and greatest value wines. Centurion vines, bio dynamically and meticulously farmed by Prue Henschke the vineyard is a wonder to witness. Gnarly old vines produce small yields of intensely flavored grapes, packed with tannin, acid and all the good stuff. These wines drink well on release but they really come into their own at 10 years plus, where they continue to evolve for another 20+ years. One for the ages.
Wine Reviews
Glorious wine. Untold depths of the richest blackberry and plum fruit with a magical bright finish ex livewire acidity - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion, 99 Points
Inky opaque black in colour, with a dark purple rim. The emphasis here is immediately on the focus and purity of the wine. Chocolate, licorice, beefstock, leather, sage, black olives, cloves, black jellybean notes and blackberries. Seamless, with cushiony lush tannins, soft as duck-down. Fine acidity, knife-edge balance and extraordinary length. A beautiful wine which should impress over the next forty years. As Stephen says, “it screams Eden Valley”. Love it. And in comparison with the glorious Hill of Grace, here is the real value. Drink 2023-2063.
99 points, Ken Gargett – WinePilot.com
Serious, fulfilling nose but super elegant, with subtle spices, sage, spearmint, heather, ink, dark chocolate, red-berry fruit and blueberries. A refreshing citrus note, reminiscent of bergamot. Almost plush but nothing heavy here, instead, this is quite ethereal with agility on the palate with even, ultra-fine tannins that are beguilingly sweet. The silky, fresh and persistent finish lasts almost two minutes. Drink or hold.
97 points -JamesSuckling.com
Region: Eden Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2018
The Wine
The beautiful and historic name Mount Edelstone is a translation from the German Edelstein meaning ‘gemstone’, a reference to the small yellow opals once found in the area. The Mount Edelstone Vineyard was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas who founded The South Australian Company and played a significant role in the formation and establishment of South Australia. Unusual for its time, the vineyard was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500-million-year-old geology in the vineyard has given rise to soils that are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from the dry-grown, ungrafted centenarian vines.
A moderately wet winter combined with average spring conditions meant that the vines grew well in the mild weather. Ideal flowering conditions in late spring/early summer led to the potential for near-average yields. Late December became warm and dry, ensuring healthy canopies with low disease pressure. The summer months of January and February were typically warm and dry, characterised by above-average overnight temperatures. The old-vine vineyards coped well with the warm nights, their deep roots able to withstand the warming and drying effect on the topsoil, maturing the balanced crops as autumn approached. March and April provided light and warmth to the Eden Valley which led to full and balanced maturity being achieved across all grape varieties. With warm sunny days and cool nights, the dry autumn guaranteed that pristinely healthy grapes arrived in the fermenters. All in all, the 2018 vintage will be considered a standout of the decade. Shiraz was certainly one of the highlights of the season, fittingly so in the year we celebrated our 150th anniversary of family winemaking
Varieties: 100% Shiraz
Harvest Date: 21 March - 14 April
Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage
Maturation: Matured in 27% new and 73% seasoned (77% French, 23% American) oak hogsheads for 20 months prior to blending and bottling.
Cellaring Potential: 30+ years (from vintage)
Cellared says
Whilst HOG steels the limelight, Mount Edelstone must be one of Australia’s finest and greatest value wines. Centurion vines, bio dynamically and meticulously farmed by Prue Henschke the vineyard is a wonder to witness. Gnarly old vines produce small yields of intensely flavored grapes, packed with tannin, acid and all the good stuff. These wines drink well on release but they really come into their own at 10 years plus, where they continue to evolve for another 20+ years. One for the ages.
Wine Reviews
Glorious wine. Untold depths of the richest blackberry and plum fruit with a magical bright finish ex livewire acidity - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion, 99 Points
Inky opaque black in colour, with a dark purple rim. The emphasis here is immediately on the focus and purity of the wine. Chocolate, licorice, beefstock, leather, sage, black olives, cloves, black jellybean notes and blackberries. Seamless, with cushiony lush tannins, soft as duck-down. Fine acidity, knife-edge balance and extraordinary length. A beautiful wine which should impress over the next forty years. As Stephen says, “it screams Eden Valley”. Love it. And in comparison with the glorious Hill of Grace, here is the real value. Drink 2023-2063.
99 points, Ken Gargett – WinePilot.com
Serious, fulfilling nose but super elegant, with subtle spices, sage, spearmint, heather, ink, dark chocolate, red-berry fruit and blueberries. A refreshing citrus note, reminiscent of bergamot. Almost plush but nothing heavy here, instead, this is quite ethereal with agility on the palate with even, ultra-fine tannins that are beguilingly sweet. The silky, fresh and persistent finish lasts almost two minutes. Drink or hold.
97 points -JamesSuckling.com
Region: Eden Valley
Variety: Shiraz
Country: Australia
Vintage: 2018
The Wine
The beautiful and historic name Mount Edelstone is a translation from the German Edelstein meaning ‘gemstone’, a reference to the small yellow opals once found in the area. The Mount Edelstone Vineyard was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas who founded The South Australian Company and played a significant role in the formation and establishment of South Australia. Unusual for its time, the vineyard was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500-million-year-old geology in the vineyard has given rise to soils that are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from the dry-grown, ungrafted centenarian vines.
A moderately wet winter combined with average spring conditions meant that the vines grew well in the mild weather. Ideal flowering conditions in late spring/early summer led to the potential for near-average yields. Late December became warm and dry, ensuring healthy canopies with low disease pressure. The summer months of January and February were typically warm and dry, characterised by above-average overnight temperatures. The old-vine vineyards coped well with the warm nights, their deep roots able to withstand the warming and drying effect on the topsoil, maturing the balanced crops as autumn approached. March and April provided light and warmth to the Eden Valley which led to full and balanced maturity being achieved across all grape varieties. With warm sunny days and cool nights, the dry autumn guaranteed that pristinely healthy grapes arrived in the fermenters. All in all, the 2018 vintage will be considered a standout of the decade. Shiraz was certainly one of the highlights of the season, fittingly so in the year we celebrated our 150th anniversary of family winemaking
Varieties: 100% Shiraz
Harvest Date: 21 March - 14 April
Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage
Maturation: Matured in 27% new and 73% seasoned (77% French, 23% American) oak hogsheads for 20 months prior to blending and bottling.
Cellaring Potential: 30+ years (from vintage)
Cellared says
Whilst HOG steels the limelight, Mount Edelstone must be one of Australia’s finest and greatest value wines. Centurion vines, bio dynamically and meticulously farmed by Prue Henschke the vineyard is a wonder to witness. Gnarly old vines produce small yields of intensely flavored grapes, packed with tannin, acid and all the good stuff. These wines drink well on release but they really come into their own at 10 years plus, where they continue to evolve for another 20+ years. One for the ages.
Wine Reviews
Glorious wine. Untold depths of the richest blackberry and plum fruit with a magical bright finish ex livewire acidity - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion, 99 Points
Inky opaque black in colour, with a dark purple rim. The emphasis here is immediately on the focus and purity of the wine. Chocolate, licorice, beefstock, leather, sage, black olives, cloves, black jellybean notes and blackberries. Seamless, with cushiony lush tannins, soft as duck-down. Fine acidity, knife-edge balance and extraordinary length. A beautiful wine which should impress over the next forty years. As Stephen says, “it screams Eden Valley”. Love it. And in comparison with the glorious Hill of Grace, here is the real value. Drink 2023-2063.
99 points, Ken Gargett – WinePilot.com
Serious, fulfilling nose but super elegant, with subtle spices, sage, spearmint, heather, ink, dark chocolate, red-berry fruit and blueberries. A refreshing citrus note, reminiscent of bergamot. Almost plush but nothing heavy here, instead, this is quite ethereal with agility on the palate with even, ultra-fine tannins that are beguilingly sweet. The silky, fresh and persistent finish lasts almost two minutes. Drink or hold.
97 points -JamesSuckling.com
