Hill of Grace starts with a specific place. Henschke describes a 4-hectare old-vine Shiraz vineyard, with its earliest vines planted around 1860 (Henschke’s 2021 release account). The next questions concern the season, the release and the bottle you're offered.

A producer profile doesn't establish stock or an allocation. Use this one to shape a request, then assess any available wine on its own history, condition and terms.

Keep the label specific

Henschke's release account identifies Hill of Grace as a single-vineyard wine (Henschke’s 2021 release account). Don't shorten the brief to “Henschke Shiraz” if that is the wine you mean.

If you'd also consider another label, name it as a separate alternative. Similarity of producer isn't permission to substitute. Explain whether your interest is the vineyard, a particular year or a comparison with bottles already in your cellar.

Read the chart without upgrading its verdict

Henschke rates Hill of Grace 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021 Exceptional, while 2019 is Excellent (Henschke’s vintage chart). These are the producer's assessments, not scores from our team.

Use the entries to choose years for further research. A chart can't establish how a bottle has been stored since release. Keep that question separate even when the vintage has a strong reputation.

Distinguish non-production from a delayed release

Henschke marks 2011 as not produced (Henschke’s vintage chart). Its 2021 announcement explains that the small 2020 vintage was being retained for future release through its Museum and Rare programme (Henschke’s 2021 release account).

The announcement describes the plan at that time; it doesn't verify current stock. If you're filling a gap, ask which explanation applies before treating a missing retail listing as proof that the wine never existed.

Check the closure on the offered release

Henschke's 2021 release account identifies Stelvin screwcap closures (Henschke’s 2021 release account). Ask about the exact vintage in an offer rather than assuming every older bottle has the same closure.

Halliday says screwcapped bottles can stand upright or lie down, while cork-sealed bottles should lie on their sides (Halliday Wine Companion’s storage guidance). Orientation doesn't replace suitable storage or a credible history. Request actual-bottle photographs and condition information as well.

Let the purpose determine the request

Do you want one meaningful vintage, a few years for a tasting or more bottles of a release you enjoy? Set the quantity, budget and acceptable formats around that answer. Include any non-negotiable date.

Be willing to wait or pass if the right terms aren't available. Our Grange guide provides a contrasting blending approach to research, but it isn't a reason to treat the wines as substitutes.

Keep release notes with the collection

Record whether a wanted vintage was made, when it was released and where you checked the information. Date the note. Historic announcements and current supply aren't the same thing, particularly when a search continues over time.

Decide whether completeness or documentation takes priority. A smaller sequence with a clearer history may suit you better than filling every date immediately. State that preference before a proposed bottle creates pressure to decide.

Choose what you'd like the tasting to tell you

A vertical compares the same label across years; a horizontal compares wines from one year within a region or style (Decanter’s tasting-format guide). A Hill of Grace sequence and a comparison across Henschke labels therefore need different briefs.

Gather the release notes and known bottle histories for the chosen group. Use the tasting guide to record your impressions without treating a few bottles as a definitive verdict on a producer.

Check the research references

These are the references used on this page. Addresses are shown as text; the site's reading links stay on WineInvestments.

  • Henschke’s 2021 release accounthttps://www.henschke.com.au/blogs/news/henschke-single-vineyard-release-2021-hill-of-grace-a-vintage-graced-by-an-ancient-land
  • Henschke’s vintage charthttps://www.henschke.com.au/pages/vintage-charts
  • Halliday Wine Companion’s storage guidancehttps://winecompanion.com.au/resources/cellaring/wine-storage-and-cellaring
  • Decanter’s tasting-format guidehttps://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/what-is-a-vertical-tasting-51353/

Put the research into a brief.

Tell Aaron and the team what you'd like to find, what you already own and what you want to spend. You don't need every detail settled before asking.

Tell us what you're looking for