As one of Australia’s oldest family-owned wineries, Henschke has been making wine for over 150 years in the Barossa’s Eden Valley. Established in 1868, Henschke is resolute in its desire for complete integration of vineyard and winery, through six generations of family grapegrowing and winemaking tradition in the Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills.
Fifth-generation winemaker Stephen Carl Henschke showed an interest in science from an early age. He went on to complete a Bachelor of Science at the University of Adelaide in 1973, where he met his wife Prue, who was studying botany and zoology. After completing their degrees, they travelled to Geisenheim, Germany to undertake two years of study and work experience and upon return to Australia, they continued their studies in wine science to catch up on changes in the Australian wine industry. During this time, Stephen worked with his father, while Prue embarked on a career as a technical research assistant at nearby Roseworthy College.
Stephen introduced many winemaking techniques acquired in Germany and upgraded the winery’s refrigeration systems to improve white wine quality. He also began incorporating barrel fermentation, as well as favouring the use of French oak. In the early 1980s, Stephen and Prue purchased an apple orchard at Lenswood in the cool-climate Adelaide Hills to put their techniques from Germany into practice. Today, Stephen and Prue are recognised around the world for their exceptional quality wines, innovation and sustainability in the vineyard.
The 16 hectare Mount Edelstone vineyard, situated at 400 metres above sea level 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, only Shiraz was planted. First bottled a single-vineyard wine in 1952 by Cyril Henschke, Mount Edelstone is the longest continuously produced single-vineyard Shiraz in Australia. The ancient 500-million-year-old soils are deep red-brown clay-loam to clay, resulting in low yields from over 100 year-old dry-farmed, ungrafted centenarian vines. Organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard are supported with undervine mulching and permanent cover crops. Three quarters of the vines are trained on a Scott Henry trellis to increase sun exposure and promote earlier ripening; the remainder are on original two-wire trellises to allow a drooping canopy and reduce shoot vigour.
