The 1970's introduced the first wave of technology, the 1980's saw a renewed interest in Great European wine styles. The pursuit of cool climate areas for growing Bordeaux and Burgundy styles became an obsession amongst Australian winemakers. Double vintages were common, one in Australia, the other at some Domaine or Chateaux (preferably in France), and the more important the estate, the greater the esteem of the winemaker. Germany was a popular training ground, and the Henschke's found themselves studying at Geisenheim, Stephen and Prue were of scientific bent, and the German education machine, and it's obsession for procedure was to be firmly entrenched. Sure the Germans were making white wine, but some of those practices could easily be transferred to red wine making. German discipline was imposed. An understanding and appreciation of what constituted harmony in a wine was developed. Interest in high toast, medium toast and low toast oak was high. Oak from every possible cooper in France and elsewhere was sourced, Hungarian - German, American, barriques, puncheons and octaves all were experimented with.

The pH levels became an obsession, ion exchanges and new yeast strains were all the rage. Aromatic, cultured and neutral yeasts were all part of a new palate of 'colours' that the winemaker had to work with. On the viticultural front, a researcher in New Zealand was creating havoc - Dr Richard Smart was emerging as a viticultural guru and the emphasis was beginning to shift from winemaking technology to viticultural development. Clone selection, canopy management, leaf plucking, bunch thinning, Geneva double curtain, Scott Henry trellis were all buzz words and that was only the start of the real wine revolution, which was to fully manifest itself in the 1990's.

1979 Henschke Hill of Grace
Region: Keyneton Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Medium weight, brick red tawny red colour. The nose displays a hint of tea leaf with spice, confectionary and liquorice following. The palate displays excellent ripe fruit flavours of stewed fruits, plum, spice and chocolate - good length, fine soft drying tannins, followed by long confectionary, stewed fruit and spice aftertaste.

1982 Henschke Hill of Grace
Region: Keyneton Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Medium weight, brick red colour. Aromas of liquorice spice and plum with cedar and vanilla end notes. Excellent fruit on the palate - with dusty, dark chocolate and spice flavours. Fine, dry lingering tannins, with long chocolate spice aftertaste.

1984 Henschke Hill of Grace
Region: Keyneton Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Deep brick red colour. Delicate cedar, earthy, vanilla and leather aromas. The palate displays plum, leather and liquorice palate flavours. Firmish tannin structure. Not as concentrated as some older examples. Leathery, plum, liquorice aftertaste.

1986 Henschke Hill of Grace
Region: Keyneton Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Deep crimson colour. Aromas of confectionary, cherry, plum and spice with a hint of herbs and tea leaf in the background. Superb fruit structure - the palate displays ripe flavours of plum, stewed fruit, leather spice and cedar - multi layered. Perfect balance, fine dry tannins with very long leather spice and cedar aftertaste. Cellar 5-8 years. An outstanding wine.

1986 Henschke Hill of Grace - MAGNUM
Region: Keyneton Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Opaque crimson colour. Magnificent nose, perfumed, filled with aromas of confectionary, spice, liquorice, violets and vanilla. The palate flavours are equally joyous - superb ripe fruit in abundance. Ripe plums, chocolate, spice, liquorice and toasted oak - all superbly meshed into a long and concentrated tasting experience. Excellent length, soft tannins and long liquorice and spice aftertaste.

1988 Henschke Hill of Grace
Region: Keyneton Barossa Valley, South Australia.
One of the stars! Deep crimson colour - almost opaque. Magnificent nose, with aromas of ripe plums, blackberries vanilla and a hint of leather. The palate displays great concentration of flavour - remarkable depth and persistence. Flavours of blackberry, blackpeppers, plum and vanilla, superbly integrated and supported by fine grained dry tannins, followed by very long blackberry, vanilla and spice aftertaste. Cellar 5-8 years.