Henschke is one of Australia’s greatest family-owned estates — a name that has become synonymous with the Eden Valley and the pinnacle of Australian fine wine. Founded in 1868 by Johann Christian Henschke, a Silesian immigrant who planted his first vines near Keyneton in South Australia, the winery has remained in family hands for over 150 years. Today it is led by Stephen and Prue Henschke, the fifth generation of the family, whose work has elevated the estate to international acclaim.
The Henschkes have always been custodians of remarkable vineyard sites. Their most celebrated is Hill of Grace, a single vineyard opposite the small Gnadenberg Lutheran Church, planted in the 1860s and now home to some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. Alongside Hill of Grace sits Mount Edelstone, another legendary Shiraz vineyard planted in 1912, and the cool, high-altitude Lenswood vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, which bring an elegant dimension to the family’s whites and Pinot Noirs.
Viticulture at Henschke is organic and biodynamic, guided by Prue Henschke’s deep commitment to soil health and ecosystem balance. The focus is on minimal intervention, low yields, and the preservation of each site’s natural character. This respect for terroir, combined with meticulous vineyard management, produces fruit of extraordinary purity and concentration.
Winemaking blends heritage with precision. Grapes are hand-harvested, fermented in open-top vats, and aged in a thoughtful mix of French and American oak, often for 18–24 months. The style is unmistakable: layered and intense, yet refined and balanced — wines that show Australia’s capacity for both power and grace.
The range extends from the flagship Hill of Grace Shiraz, one of the world’s truly great single-vineyard wines, to Mount Edelstone, Keyneton Euphonium, and Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon, each reflecting a different facet of the family’s vineyards. Whites such as Julius Riesling and Croft Chardonnay highlight the cool-climate purity of Eden Valley fruit.
Henschke’s legacy is built not on size, but on continuity and integrity. Six generations in, the family’s pursuit of excellence remains undimmed — producing wines that are among the most distinctive, age-worthy, and authentically Australian expressions of place.
