x
  • Country ranking ?

    124
  • Producer ranking ?

    47
  • Decanting time

    1h
  • When to drink

    now to 2035
  • Food Pairing

    Roast lamb served medium-rare

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

Nicolaus Stanitski, a Henschke ancestor, originally planted the Hill of Grace vineyard during the 1860s above the Barossa Valley. During the 1950s Cyril Henschke took his family concern back to wine and established the Hill of Grace label in 1956. The Shiraz vines – many now over 140 years old – are among the world's oldest genetic Shiraz plant material. It is remarkable that the vineyard remained intact considering the economic uncertainty and the social conditions of the time. The vineyard is planted on red clay soils overlain by sandy and silty loams interspersed with gravels.

There are several blocks including Grandfather’s Post Office Blocks One and Two, Young which is made up of the younger selected material located near the vines of the old post office, and the Church Block, House Block and Windmill Block. Vintage takes place during mid to late April, each parcel vinified separately to maximise blending options. The Hill of Grace style has developed along Grange lines, but by a circuitous route. Vinification takes place in open headed down fermenters with regular pumping over. Towards dryness the wine is drained and pressed. Partial barrel fermentation in a combination of new American and French oak follows to integrate oak and create complexity. The wine is then allowed to mature in the same oak for a period of about 18 months before bottling and further maturation. 

HILL OF GRACE

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

Varieties: Shiraz (on own roots). Vines originate from pre-phylloxera material brought from Europe by the early European settlers. Riesling and Semillon.

Wines Produced: Shiraz – individual vineyard bottling since 1958.

Age: Oldest vines planted in 1860s.

Average Yield: 5 tonnes/hectare (2 tonnes/acre)

Soil: Alluvial, sandy loam over clay.

Trellis: 2 wire vertical/single wire at 70 centimetres.

Planting: Wide planting – 3.1 metres x 3.7 metres. Most are planted east-west, some north-south. Dry grown.

Treatments: Tilled and dodged for many years without herbicide. Only copper and sulphur used for foliage sprays. Now mulched and grassed down. Fungus problems are minimal. Vineyard can be considered 'organic'.

Maintenance Quality: Mass selection carried out over two growing seasons. Establishment of a mother source block.

Rainfall: 520 mm

Altitude: 400 metres


Year Vintage Quality Optimum Drinking

1984 Exceptional 20+ years
1985 Exceptional 15+ years
1986 Exceptional 20+ years
1987 Very Good 15+ years
1988 Exceptional 15+ years
1989 Great 15+ years
1990 Exceptional 20+ years
1991 Excellent 20+ years
1992 Excellent 20+ years
1993 Great 15+ years
1994 Exceptional 20+ years
1995 Excellent 20+ years
1996 Exceptional 25+ years
1997 Very Good 15+ years
1998 Exceptional 20+ years
1999 Excellent 20+ years
2000 Not Produced
2001 Excellent 20+ years
2002 Exceptional 25+ years
2003 Great 15+ years
2004 Excellent 20+ years
2005 Exceptional 20+ years
2006 Exceptional 20+ years
2007 Great 20+ years

 

Close

Vintage 1966

Below average rainfall during the growing season, a dry winter before vintage and frost damage in October and November 1965 led to lower yields and lighter yields after several good years. Very rich concentrated reds were produced, many of which are still excellent. Excellent white wines were also produced that year.

In 1966 there were 7,209 hectares of vines in the Barossa and 24,736 tonnes of wine grapes were crushed in that vintage.

Wine growers lobbied for a wider range of grape varieties to be allowed into Australia and the Barossa Vine Selection Society was formed to improve the range of planting material.

The report of the Royal Commission on the Wine Industry in South Africa was also released and a Grape Industry Advisory Council was formed.

The contour method of replanting vines was now widely used in Eden Valley and water management received a boost with the introduction of a more accurate soil moisture measuring device, the Probe neutron, which was first used at the Nuriootpa research center of the Ministry of Agriculture in 1966.

Unfortunately, high winery stocks from the previous vintage led to falling prices – and the introduction of decimal currency did little to alleviate this situation.

Two five tonne Gradon Whitehill airbag presses (Wilmes type) were installed for draining and pressing white grapes at Leo Buring. The reds continued to be squeezed into press cages. Some of the first large capacity stainless steel tanks (10,000 and 20,000 gallons) in the Barossa installed at Leo Buring.

The 1965 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, made primarily from Barossa fruit, won the 1966 Jimmy Watson Trophy – the company's second – providing further recognition to Grange, the Barossa and the great 1965 vintage.

Wolf Blass purchased land on the northeast end of Nuriootpa and launched its own Wolf Blass wines in a collection of post-war Nissen huts. The first Wolf Blass Yellow Label wine was from the 1966 vintage.

Close

Tasting note

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

Written Notes

Medium crimson. Developed red cherry stone, graphite, chinotto aromas with lifted wax polish, touch varnishy/ shellac notes. Minerally and varnishy on the palate with tawny port like notes fine bitter-sweet tannins, attractive mid palate volume and well balanced acidity. Varnishy finish. Still holding on by its fingernails. Drink up 91 points 

  • 91p

Still looks pretty youthful. Some development at the rim. Fully evolved nose with more fruit than dust. Sweet start and very firm structure – still! Very ripe but pretty dry year? Not perfect balance. Suspect the tannins will always be just a little awkwardly prominent on this.

  • 91p
The winner of our 1966 Vintage tasting: Henschke Hill of Grace 1966 / Moderately intense, tawny bright colour. The nose is open with elegantly developed richness showing ripe dark fruits – plums, black currants and brambles, floral tones – violets, tobacco, mocha and hints of vanilla. The palate is rich and voluptuous. The texture is silky with lovely acidity, mellow tannins and ripe black fruits. Exquisite harmony and suppleness charmed by lingering long finish. Wonderful wine with powerful character, marvellous depth and great intensity suggesting it will keep still easily 10 more years. 98 points
  • 98p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

South Australia, Eden Valley

Soil

Alluvial, sandy loam over clay

Age of vines

Oldest vines planted in 1860s

Vintage Quality

Excellent

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Very Good

Fake factory

None

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 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

Mount Edelstone

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