The acclaimed Henschke family, foundation members of Australia’s First Families of Wine, was one of the pioneering families of South Australia when Johann Christian Henschke migrated from Silesia (Germany in 1841). Each generation has contributed to the legend with fourth generation Cyril Henschke pioneering varietal, single-vineyard wines in the 1950s, most famously Mount Edelstone and Hill of Grace Shiraz. Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen and his viticulturist wife Prue have won many awards for their talent, innovation and integration of vineyard and winery. They lead the way with environmental, biodynamic and organic principles. Henschke wines are handcrafted and deeply personal, reflecting the unique terroir of vineyards: the wine names tell either a personal story of the family or the cultural history of their region.

The Mount Edelstone vineyard, situated in the Eden Valley, was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas, a descendant of George Fife Angas, who founded South Australia. Unusual for its time, it was planted solely to shiraz. The ancient 500 million-year-old soils on the vineyard are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from over 100 year-old dry-grown, ungrafted centenarian vines. First bottled as a single-vineyard wine in 1952, it became recognised as one of the greatest shiraz wines in Australia.

Kaleidoscopic, this glorious vintage is terroir translucent, transporting you to the vineyard with its signature aromas of dried sage, Eucalyptus olida (aka Strawberry Gum), wild mint, wattleseed, nutmeg and tinder. Soaring and super-expressive, these scents bring compelling dimension and meld exquisitely on the sweet, juicy plum and bramble palate, with its cocoa nib and earthy hints. Graceful, willowy tannins and mineral acidity make for a long, fluid, markedly perfumed finish. Irresistible already. Date: March 2022; Rating: 98 Points; Sarah Ahmed; Decanter

Expect a tight, taut, powerful style with serious concentration. Flavours move through red berries/cherries, coffee beans, chocolate, animal hide, dry herbs and mulberries. Beautifully balanced, there is good acidity. A cracking Mount Edelstone, one which exceeds expectations imposed by the perception of the vintage. It has a long future ahead of it. Date: March 2022; Rating: 98 Points; Ken Gargett; Wine Pilot

Medium deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant pastille, chinotto, sage, herb garden aromas with vanilla cacao notes. Richly concentrated blackcurrant, blackberry fruits, lovely fine chalky al dente tannins, beautifully integrated mocha notes and fresh linear crisp acidity. Finishes claretfirm with pure cassis fruits. Lovely density and torque. Date: March 2022; Rating: 97 Points; Andrew Caillard MW

Form a single vineyard of 105yo shiraz vines on Mount Edelstone in the Eden Valley, farmed according to organic and biodynamic practices. Aged in 86/14% French and American oak (26% new) for 18 months. I was lucky enough to live next door to the Mount Edelstone vineyard for 8 years and have consumed a fair amount of Cooper's Green on the bench at the summit; I have seen the amount of fastidious work Henschke put into the vineyard. It's a special place. Bright, intense blackberry and blackcurrant fruits mesh with hints of Asian spice, tar, turned earth, rosehip, sage and high-cocoa dark chocolate. Displaying a beautiful, pure, dark fruit flow, it's a wonderfully complex wine with ripe long-grain tannins and sprightly mineral acid drive, finishing very long and graceful with a core of cassis and spice. Will cellar magnificently. Drink to: 2052; Date Tasted: Feb 2022; Alcohol: 14.5%; Rating: 97 Points; Dave Brookes; James Halliday Wine Companion

A wantonly delicious, sumptuous wine dares you to waste even a drop of wine by spitting. The palate is prodigiously long, the aftertaste of blackberries and a whisper of French oak. Attention to detail can be a cliché, but it’s the real deal here. Drink to: 2042; Alcohol: 14.5%; Rating: 97 Points; James Halliday; The Weekend Australian Magazine; May 2022