2017 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone Eden Valley 750 ml

In 1839, German geologist, mineralogist, and gardener Johann Menge surveyed a vast piece of land in the newly independent area of South Australia, around Adelaide. Not long after, the land was granted to a man named George Fife Angas, one of the founders of the province.

The land included a hill dubbed Edelstein—German for “gemstone”—for the precious opals discovered there. But only in the next century would Mount Edelstone's true treasure emerge.

When Ronald Angas, George's great-grandson, inherited the land in 1912, he put Mount Edelstone to use by planting a large orchard and vineyard there. The deep, well-draining soils were exceptional for vine-growing, and Ronald made the unconventional decision to plant it to 100% Shiraz, using budwood from the James Busby vine collection, which dated back to 1830.

For four decades, grapes from Ronald's vines were blended into anonymity. Only in 1952, when his son Colin offered the fruit to his friend Cyril Henschke, did the grapes get the chance to shine. And by 1974, when Henschke finally purchased the site from Colin Angas, Mount Edelstone was one of Australia's most celebrated wines. From a 105-year-old vineyard of ungrafted Shiraz, it's more than one of Australia's icons—it's one of the great wines of the world.

Henschke is an outlier and a pioneer in Australian winemaking. They are firmly terroir-driven in their outlook. They're an outlier in the sense that they are not looking to create rich, densely extracted wines, but for finesse and balance. The percentage of new oak used in the 2017 is only 26%. That really speaks to how they want the expression of place to shine through on the palate more than anything else.