Stephen Carl Henschke
Following Cyril's death in 1979, fifth-generation Stephen Carl Henschke took over running the winery and improved the winemaking facilities. Born at Angaston on December 3 1950, he was the younger son and the middle child. Surprisingly, throughout all these years, the generational shift has not been by way of the oldest son, but has gone to the one who showed the most interest.
Stephen completed a Bachelor of Science Degree at Adelaide University in 1973, gained winemaking experience at Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley, and with his wife Prue spent two years at the Geisenheim Institute of Viticulture and Wine Technology in West Germany. During their stay in Germany he undertook work experience in two wineries, Winzerverein Oberrotweil in Baden and at the Institut für Rebenzüchtung und Rebenveredlung in Geisenheim.
On their return to Australia they enrolled in Wine Science at Riverina College of Advanced Education in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, in order to catch up with the changes in the Australian wine industry. During this time Stephen worked with his father while Prue embarked on a career as a technical research officer at Roseworthy College working with researchers Richard Smart and Peter Dry, specialising in top-grafting of grape vines. In order to further develop their own research ideas, in 1981 Prue and Stephen bought an apple orchard at Lenswood, in the Adelaide Hills, with the aim of eventually converting it to a vineyard. Nature took over and after two years of operating it as an orchard, Prue could only stand by in 1983 as Ash Wednesday engulfed the property in flames. A D9 Caterpillar removed the blackened stumps in preparation for the vineyard. Perhaps it was an omen, as the vineyard came later to be known as Abbotts Prayer. Pinot noir, merlot, chardonnay, riesling and cabernet sauvignon were planted in response to developing theories on cool-climate viticulture, site selection and canopy management. Lenswood became the research and development tool that slowly influenced the positive change in quality of the older Henschke museum vineyards in the Barossa hills.
In 1986 Prue began a project in the old Mount Edelstone and Hill of Grace shiraz vineyards, with the assistance of a fellow Geisenheim graduate Uschi Linssen, to select the best genetic material for vineyard replanting. This long-term project was aimed at selecting the vines that produce the most intense colour and flavour in the grapes, through a process of mass selection. The selected vines have been planted in a nursery for further assessment through trial winemaking and comparison with the mother vines. Combined with trials on varying trellis types, crop load and leaf area to fruit weight ratio in conjunction with Patrick Iland from the University of Adelaide, these techniques will ensure that the unique flavours of these old shiraz vineyards can be preserved.
Prue's research, which is still ongoing, revolves around vineyard management, minimal chemical input, trellis design, canopy management, soil moisture management and trials with native grasses and organic and biodynamic viticulture.
In the early 1980s Stephen began incorporating barrel fermentation as a component of his red fermentation techniques. Because of the poor quality of the oak at the time he introduced an oak timber purchase program, seasoning it in the Barossa Valley and using the local cooper, A P John, to make the barrels in order to obtain better quality mature oak flavours. In addition, more flexible refrigeration was installed in the winery in order to improve quality of the white wines. He maintained traditional methods with his red wines, which focus on fruit maturity, submerged cap open fermentation, minimal racking, no fining and minimal filtration. The success of the Henschke reds has been based on fruit quality in the vineyard.
In 1988 and 1989 Stephen and Prue spent vintages in Burgundy and Bordeaux respectively, in order to research the grass roots level of viticulture and winemaking in those regions. With a widened perspective they have forged their own styles for the Lenswood vineyard wines.
Stephen and Prue, with their three children Johann, Justine and Andreas, quietly continue a proud heritage and the philosophy for outstanding quality. They are mindful of the fact that 130 years of grapegrowing and winemaking, spanning five generations, has been an integral part of Australian quality wine history.