2018 Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz, Eden Valley

Inky opaque black in colour, with a dark purple rim. The emphasis here is immediately on the focus and purity of the wine. Chocolate, licorice, beefstock, leather, sage, black olives, cloves, black jellybean notes and blackberries. Seamless, with cushiony lush tannins, soft as duck-down. Fine acidity, knife-edge balance and extraordinary length. A beautiful wine which should impress over the next forty years. As Stephen says, “it screams Eden Valley”. Love it. And in comparison with the glorious Hill of Grace, here is the real value. Drink to 2063.

99 points Ken Gargett for Wine Pilot, April 2023

Deep, dark, saturated colour; youthful hues; lots of the typical fresh garrigue herbs of Eden Valley, with sage and bayleaf and more, dark fruit deeper down on the nose. A smashing wine with tremendous depth of flavour and concentration, power and persistence. It has some wow factor. An extraordinary wine. Drink to 2063.

98 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, February 2026

I lived on the property that lies between the Mount Edelstone and Hill of Grace vineyards for eight years. My god it's a beautiful part of the world. Planted in 1912 by George Fife Angus and purchased by Cyril Henschke in 1974, though it had been bottled as a single-vineyard wine since 1952. Picture perfect blackberry and blackcurrant fruits, shades of mixed spice, purple floral tones, earth, licorice, rosehip and crushed quartz. A gorgeous expression of site, pure with long, ripe tannins, lacy mineral-laden acidity providing clarity and drive and a finish that sails on for some time before finishing chalky and sustained. Drink to 2045.

98 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2023

The 2018 Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz is inky and powerful, sweetly fruited and bright. The tannins are almost lost in the abundance of the plush fruit power. This is an impressive wine, one that shows a splay of savory tannins and looks just as fresh as the day I tasted it. If anything, it is more impressive today—it feels as if it has not moved in the eight years since its harvest. This is excellent. Drink to 2058.

97+ points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, March 2026

Serious, fulfilling nose but super elegant, with subtle spices, sage, spearmint, heather, ink, dark chocolate, red-berry fruit and blueberries. A refreshing citrus note, reminiscent of bergamot. Almost plush but nothing heavy here, instead, this is quite ethereal with agility on the palate with even, ultra-fine tannins that are beguilingly sweet. The silky, fresh and persistent finish lasts almost two minutes. Drink or hold.

97 points Zekun Shuai for James Suckling, March 2023

This 2018 Shiraz Mount Edelstone is made with fruit from vines planted in 1912. It is a reserved yet highly complex Barossan style bringing broody aromas of roasted meats, soy sauce, blackberry, and fennel seed with oak in good support. Richly powered, it retains its composure while rippling with black olive and blackberry flavors kept in shape by firm chocolaty tannins. A dense and sustained finish confirms an excellent vintage with long cellaring potential. Drink to 2060.

96 points Angus Hughson for Vinous, June 2023

Henschke has been making wine in the Eden Valley since 1868, and Mount Edelstone is the wine that cemented their reputation as one of Australia's great estates. The vineyard was planted in 1912 by Ronald Angas on the eastern slopes of Mount Edelstone near Hutton Vale. Its name derives from Edelstein —  German for gemstone — after the small yellow opals once found in the area. Cyril Henschke first bottled the wine as a single vineyard release in 1952, making it one of the earliest recognised single-vineyard wines in Australia. The Henschke family purchased the vineyard from the Angas family in 1974.