In 1997, Stephen and Prue embarked on a journey to handcraft an ultra-premium sparkling wine from pinot noir and selected only the finest fruit from specific clones and sites suited for this purpose at the Henschke Lenswood Vineyard. The vineyard contains some of the oldest pinot noir vines in the Adelaide Hills.

The first release in 2008 celebrated Henschke’s 140th anniversary. This limited sixth release is a blend across 20 exceptional pinot noir vintages all matured on tirage. It is a true expression of its site and celebrates over 150 years of Henschke family winemaking. This sparkling is named as a tribute to adored matriarch Johanne Ida Selma, whose grandfather Nicolaus Stanitzki planted the first vines on the Hill of Grace Vineyard. Selma married third-generation winemaker Paul Alfred Henschke in 1907, entwining the family histories for all time. The youngest of Selma and Alfred’s twelve children, Cyril became the fourth generation.