Henschke Abbotts Prayer Merlot Cabernet Blend 2018

One of Australia’s most prestigious labels and one of this country’s true international brands, Henschke has evolved hugely over the last 30+ years. Instead of almost exclusively being based in the Eden Valley, it has steadily increased its sourcing from adjacent locales including the Barossa floor and the Adelaide Hills. Alongside this movement into new sites, the number of wines made at Henschke each year has increased something close to tenfold over that time. It’s no longer a tiny producer of scarce labels like Hill of Grace, Mount Edelstone, Keyneton and the Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon. As the prices of its highly reputed labels have steadily increased (Hill of Grace would appear to be shadowing the price of Penfolds Grange) this has created space into which a multitude of new labels has been inserted, from an ever-increasing range of varieties. The company’s most famous wine, the Hill of Grace Shiraz, justifies its unique positioning with excellent recent vintages in 2018, 2015 and 2012 (especially), while 2013 and 2010 are also first-class. The relatively recent adjacent plantings of Hill of Roses Shiraz (around $450 per bottle) have lacked conviction aside from the 2013 and 2015 vintages. Back in my days as a student I seem to recall the Mount Edelstone Shiraz sometimes being sold for a higher price than Hill of Grace. The 2018 vintage of this wine is in the top three I have tasted since the 1972 vintage. It’s the usually the label by which I judge a Henschke vintage.