x
  • Country ranking ?

    232
  • Producer ranking ?

    78
  • Decanting time

    1h
  • When to drink

    Now
  • Food Pairing

    Lamb

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

The Story

Mount Edelstone (from the German 'Edelstein' meaning gemstone) is a single dry grown Shiraz vineyard planted by Ronald Angas in 1918 and through the 1920s. Henschke made wines from Mount Edelstone as early as 1952, although Cyril Henschke did not purchase the vineyard until 1974. By this stage Mount Edelstone was already recognised as an important vineyard site. Located on the eastern slopes of Mount Edelstone this 40 acre vineyard comprises low yielding gnarled vines, many well into their eighties and planted on deep red sandy loams over laminated siltstones. This low input vineyard is being gradually re-trellised to the Scott Henry system, where shoots are trained upwards and downwards to maximise exposure of leaves and fruit to sunlight. The oldest vines are trained on a traditional two-wire trellis. The site is cooler and higher than the Barossa floor although the climate is essentially Mediterranean. Vintage takes place in mid to late April. The wine is fermented in open top slate 'headed down' fermenters. Fermentation is completed in a combination of new American and French oak.

Henschke Vineyard Technical Information:

MOUNT EDELSTONE

Location: Eden Valley wine region, 4 km north-west of Keyneton in the Barossa Range of South Australia.

Varieties: Shiraz, on own roots, dry grown.

Wines Produced: Individual vineyard bottling since early 1950s.

Age: Planted in 1918.
Average Yield: 6 tonnes/hectare (2.5 tonnes/acre).

Soil: Deep sandy loam, over red clay loam, overlying laminated siltstone.

Trellis: Five trellis types - Twin Wire Vertical, Vertical Shoot Positioned, High Single Wire, Scott Henry System and Smart Dyson.

Planting: Wide planting – 3.7 m x 3.7 m giving 783 vines/hectare. Rows are planted east-west. Dry grown.

Treatments: The vines are mulched with wheat straw with a permanent sward of grass in the row, so herbiciding and working the soil are techniques no longer used.

Maintenance Quality: Mass selection carried out over three growing seasons. Establishment of a nursery source block. Assessment of trellis systems and use of rootstock.

Rainfall: Average annual, 600 mm.

Altitude: 400 metres

Latitude: 34 degrees 32'

Longitude: 139 degrees 06'

Aspect: Easterly

Size: 16 hectares (40 acres)

Awards: National wine show awards for every vintage since first shown in 1956


Year Vintage Quality Optimum Drinking

1984 Excellent 20+ years
1985 Very Good15+ years
1986 Exceptional 20+ years
1989 Great 15+ years
1990 Exceptional 20+ years
1991 Excellent 15+ years
1992 Excellent 20+ years
1993 Great 20+ years
1994 Exceptional 25+ years
1995 Excellent 20+ years
1996 Exceptional 25+ years
1997 Very Good15+ years
1998 Excellent 15+ years
1999 Excellent 20+ years
2000 Great 15+ years
2001 Excellent 20+ years
2002 Exceptional 25+ years
2003 Great 15+ years
2004 Great 20+ years
2005 Exceptional 20+ years
2006 Excellent 20+ years
2007 Great 15+ years
2008 Great 15+ years
2009 Exceptional 20+years

2010 Great 15+ years

Close

Vintage 1988

Australia Vintage Report:  Below average rainfall through the growing season and storms and hail in October 1997 led to some yield losses. Parts of Eden Valley were also hit by Spring frosts which affected yields. This was followed by a warm dry summer, “an unhurried vintage” which produced reds of generally good quality but “forward, plain” whites.

In 1988 there were 5,468 hectares of vineyards in Barossa and 43,371 tonnes of wine grapes were crushed in that vintage.

Grape supply turned around dramatically with demand now exceeding supply, forcing grape prices up by an average of 20%. Chardonnay was in strong demand but Riesling demand dropped away.

The wine industry introduced the “Enjoy wine in moderation campaign” to head off health lobby criticisms.

Grant and Helen Burge started their own winery, Grant Burge Wines, in the old Moorooroo Cellars on the banks of Jacob’s Creek. Grant followed a five generation tradition started by English pioneer John Burge in 1855 of grapegrowing and winemaking. He also made the first vintage of Meshach Shiraz in 1988, a full bodied red wine sourced from old vine fruit, which was to become his company’s flagship and a multi-award winner.

In the same year, experienced wine marketer Bob McLean, whose career included brand development at Orlando and Petaluma, joined forces with fifth generation vigneron Karl Lindner and winemaker Stuart Blackwell to revitalise 44-year-old St Hallett Wines at Krondorf. St Hallett Old Block Shiraz was repositioned as a classic Barossa red wine.

Brian Walsh was appointed Chief Winemaker at Yalumba.
Senior management undertook a buy-out of Orlando Wines from Reckitt and Coleman.

Australia’s most successful membership based mail order wine club Cellarmaster Wines Pty Ltd established a winemaking and distribution base at Dorrien and opened Dorrien Estate winery (although there was no cellar door outlet).

Close

Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

Be the first one to make a 20s tasting note!

Written Notes

Deep crimson with brick red hues. A bouquet of lifted spicy plums, prunes and anise with a hint of chocolate and mint. The palate is rich and concentrated with layers of sweet, ripe plum and berry fruits entwined with savoury, earthy notes; complex fine-grained tannins providing texture, balance and length for a soft, lingering finish.

The 1988 vintage proved to be a particularly eventful year with excellent winter rains, hail damage in spring, rains during flowering and a very hot summer. A week and a half of century heat in January was followed by a cool and misty February until another 10 day heat wave at the end of March. Despite a roller-coaster of weather events the 1988 vintage in Eden Valley produced excellent quality fruit with concentrated flavours.

Medium crimson, but showing much more youthful hues than Hill of Grace. Intense, cherry menthol aromas with touches of iodine and malt oak characters. Richly concentrated palate with cherry/chocolate flavours and strong menthol nuances. Some malt oak, ripe gravelly tannins and plenty of flavour length. A very nice wine, ready to drink – but not quite up to same level as Hill of Grace. 18 points (91).
  • 91p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

South Australia, Eden Valley

Other wines from this producer

Abbotts Prayer Lenswood Vineyard Lenswood

Apple Tree Bench

Archer Chardonnay

Barossa Valley Johanns Garden

Barossa Valley Keyneton Estate Euphonium

Barossa Valley Shiraz Tappa Pass Vineyard

Chardonnay Eden Valley Cranes

Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon

Eden Valley Riesling Julius

Eden Valley Semillon Louis

Eden Valley Tillys Vineyard

‘Five Shillings’ Shiraz Mataro

Henry's Seven

Henry's Seven

Hill of Grace

‘Hill of Peace’ Semillon

‘Hill of Roses’ Shiraz

Keyneton Estate Eden-Barossa Valleys

Lenswood Chardonnay Croft

Lenswood Giles Vineyard Pinot Noir

Lenswood Sauvignon Blanc Coralinga

Marble Angel

MD Johanne Ida Selma Blanc de Noir

Noble Gewurztraminer

‘Peggy’s Hill’ Riesling

Percival’s Mill Gruner Veltliner

Pinot Gris Adelaide Hills Littlehampton Innes

Riesling Adelaide Hills Lenswood Greens Hill

Riesling Lenswood Vineyard Greens Hill Vineyard

Shiraz Keyneton Estate

Stone Jar Tempranillo

‘The Alan’ Pinot Noir

‘The Bootmaker’ Mataro

‘The Rose Grower’ Nebbiolo

The Wheelwright Shiraz

Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

HOW TO USE TASTINGBOOK?

We recommend you to share few minutes for watching the following video instructions of how to use the Tastingbook. This can provide you a comprehensive understanding of all the features you can find from this unique service platform.

This video will help you get started



Taste wines with the Tastingbook


Create Your wine cellar on 'My Wines'



Explore Your tasted wines library



Administrate Your wine world in Your Profile



Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

  Register