Henschke Hill of Roses Shiraz 2022

Hill of Roses is named as a tribute to Johann Gottlieb Rosenzweig (translating from German to ‘rose twig’), a member of the early Barossa Lutheran community who settled at Parrot Hill in the Eden Valley. Their toil, perseverance and conservatism in hardship has meant that the many generations that followed have rejoiced in the riches of those efforts. This wine is produced from a small selection of low-yielding shiraz vines from the Hill of Grace Vineyard, planted as a nursery block in 1989. The planting is known as the ‘Post Office Block’ after the historic Parrot Hill Post Office ruins overlooking the vineyard. These vines were a mere 12 years old when the wine was first produced in 2001 and at present are too young to be considered for inclusion in the Hill of Grace vintages. As per the Barossa Old Vine Charter, an ‘old vine’ is equal to or greater than 35 years of age. The quality of the grapes from this selection, however, has produced a wine that has warranted a separate bottling and limited release.

The 2022 vintage was late, with harvest dates one to two weeks later than the historical average. The resulting wines speak faithfully of their place, with elegance, distinction and enduring beauty. Reminiscent of the high-quality vintages of 1991, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2015, the 2022 single-vineyard wines show wonderful ageing potential and will reward long-term cellaring under ideal conditions.