As 2022 comes to a close, we would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
While the wetter than average spring has brought its challenges, the season ahead is looking promising thanks to the mild temperatures and persistent rain soaking deep into the soil. The warmer weather to come is expected to accelerate vine growth and produce exceptional quality fruit for vintage 2023.
The 2021 and 2022 vintages were also characterised by mild seasons and we couldnât be happier with the wines. The 2022 rieslings are a testament to this quality with our Julius Riesling already achieving 97 points in James Hallidayâs Hot 100 in The Weekend Australian Magazine recently, which is a pleasing follow up to our 2021 Julius winning the Best Riesling Trophy in the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards.
When reflecting on the past year, we have celebrated some incredibly special moments with our team, including the Hill of Grace Vineyard being awarded âOld Vineyard of the Yearâ in the 2022 Vineyard of the Year Awards, Henschke being ranked No. 21 in The Worldâs Most Admired Wine Brands 2022 by Drinks International (our third consecutive year on the list), and No. 36 in The Worldâs Best Vineyards 2022 (and Best Vineyard in Australasia). The Hill of Grace Vineyard was also recently listed in Decanter Magazineâs Top 12 Worldâs Greatest Vineyards â the only Australian vineyard in such esteemed company.
In recognition of our commitment to sustainability, we were honoured to receive the 2022 Environmental Excellence Award from the South Australian Wine Industry Association in the Small to Medium Winery category for our future-proofing projects. This award highlights our investment in renewable power generation and battery storage as part of our net zero emissions target.
Keep an eye out for the release of our 2019 Keyneton Euphonium in March 2023 â this wine received the Trophy for Best Shiraz & Cabernet Blend at the 2022 Barossa Wine Show.
And last but certainly not least, our 2018 single-vineyard wines: Hill of Grace, Hill of Roses, Mount Edelstone, Cyril Henschke and The Wheelwright are due for release on Wednesday, 3 May 2023. We look forward to sharing more details with you in the new year.
If you are planning on opening any special Henschke bottles over the festive season, please visit our Vintage Charts for optimal drinking windows.
Also, if you get the chance to put your feet up and relax over the coming weeks, be sure to watch Russell Croweâs new film Poker Face on Stan and look out for the Henschke cameo!
We look forward to sharing many more Henschke experiences with you in 2023 and thank you for your continued support.
Merry Christmas from the Henschke family and team.