Henschke's 2016 Hill of Grace Shiraz is locked up tight behind a stubborn wall of firm tannins. Scents of pencil shavings, mocha, bay leaf, mixed berries and plums appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate starts off broad, expansive and creamy, then draws to a chewy, drying finish. There's ample concentration, length, complexity and a definitive track record of aging, so put this version away for several years while waiting for it to emerge and show its true glory. If you absolutely must drink it now, decanting for a couple of hours helps soften the tannins and brings the fruit forward.

A super-dense and tightly wound expression of Hill of Grace, with the promise of lots and lots of dark fruit waiting to be revealed from within the flood of dense tannin that blankets the tongue. A superbly layered wine, and – along with the 2012 – one that I think needs a couple more years to even begin to drink as well as it could. (MA)