In the footsteps of giants

Prue is part of a six-generation winemaking family. The founding father of the Henschke wine dynasty, Johann Christian Henschke arrived in Australia from central Europe’s Silesia in 1841. It had been a disastrous trip on which his wife and two of his four children died. He lived and remarried in the Adelaide Hills before settling in the Barossa Valley, and in 1862 planted a small vineyard with his son. Since then, the estate has been passed through the generations and Henschke has become an iconic name, synonymous with premium wine.

Prue became part of the Henschke world when she married Stephen, a fifth-generation Henschke. And for over 30 years, she has been a true pioneer. Her influence in the vineyards has been a balancing act of respecting tradition and protecting history while making bold decisions to innovate and improve. She restructured the vineyards, introduced new trellis types and transformed soil management using composts and mulches, which has led to adoption of organic and biodynamic practices. Her travels to wine regions around the world have inspired her to trial new grape varieties with great success, including Counoise, Tempranillo, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Grüner Veltliner.

How has Prue managed to blaze new trails among precious, historic vineyards. It all comes down to science. Science is the link between the vines and the quality of the wines that come from it. And it’s how Prue’s world collided with the Henschke dynasty. Her early interest in science led her to study botany and zoology at Adelaide University in the early 1970s. There she met Stephen, a fellow science student. After graduating, the pair headed to Germany for two years, where Prue became involved in viticulture and plant physiology. She worked at the Geisenheim Institute Vineyards and volunteered on a project in the Botanic Institute at Geisenheim – an experience that sparked a lifelong passion and set her on the path to becoming a leading viticulturist. 

Custodian and pioneer

After returning to Australia and studying Wine Science alongside Stephen, Prue gained more experience in viticultural research, before becoming a viticultural consultant. In 1980 she started working with Stephen, who had taken over as winemaker at Henschke. They bought an apple orchard in the Adelaide Hills, near where the very first Henschke vineyard had been planted in 1862, and converted it to a vineyard, creating a ‘living research station’ where they experimented and tested theories on cool-climate viticulture. This revolutionary research became vital in growing and improving cool-climate wine production in Australia. 

In 1987, Prue took on her current role at Henschke. She manages over 100 hectares of vineyards extending across the hills between Eden Valley and the Adelaide Hills, and is custodian of precious old vines, some of which have been in the earth since the first days of the family estate. 

Prue represents the pinnacle of viticulture in Australia. Her influence has reached cool-climate vineyards across the country, and in 2016 she was named Viticulturist of the Year at the Australian Women in Wine Awards. She is a highly respected voice in the Australian wine community and a strong campaigner for environmental issues. Prue is passionate about protecting the natural environment while growing grapes good enough to create Australia’s best wine. And Henschke wines have never been better. 

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