May well be the prettiest Hill of Grace yet released. May also be the best, and that’s saying something. I thought 2021 was the greatest yet, then came 2022. ...The depth and intensity of fruit that comes from vines that were planted in the 1860s is undeniable, but it’s all harnessed and focused into an effortless, long, and most graceful structure. There’s a distinct combination of black olive and bay leaf with a lift of sage bush. The palate is immensely powerful and intense with a focused concentration of fruit.

The 2022 Hill of Grace Shiraz leads with dark fruit and an abundance of exotic spice to match. The tannins are profuse here, quite distinct from the Hill of Roses tasted alongside. Star anise, cloves, cinnamon (cassia), fennel seeds and Sichuan pepper weave in and out of the blackberry, blueberry, crushed quartz/ferrous undertones. There’s a sweet rolling-tobacco character that is highly attractive and lingers through the finish. I love the 2022 vintage. It is fresh and detailed. It may forever live in the shadow of the great 2021 vintage, but not for me—I believe firmly this is a sleeper vintage and will reveal its longevity given time. The allure of it now is not in question, either.

A wine with a stored wisdom and depth of character, revealed by its marriage of dark berried fruit and exotic spices, a sophisticated ease of stature and balance of flavour, fruit drive, structure and volume, with underlying power and energy yet surprisingly fresh and vibrant. Completely in its own zone with a view to staying alive and exciting for many, many years.

In 2022, Hill of Grace lives up to its name! The perfume is a joyous concerto of red fruit...the palate shows incredible restraint and composure before blackcurrant notes flood in, consuming every taste bud. This time, the tannins are far more active and combative, on account of the westerly-facing aspect of this vineyard. And while the structure is incredible, there is beguiling elegance throughout. The palate shows extraordinary waves of flavour, and yet despite the depth of flavour, coolness and freshness can be found in every molecule of fruit. Many will compare it to the 2021, but this is not apples-to-apples. The weather changes everything! Instead, one must keep these two vintages standing side by side, so one can appreciate two sides of one coin and the elemental grace and unpredictability of this ancient plot of vines.

Very intense, full bodied and firm, with a solid backbone of tannins running throughout the wine, blackberry weaving deep within it and not yet fully overt. It has serious weight, density and understated power, lasting very long on the palate. A top vintage and a wine of gravitas.