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St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual amongst high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on any new oak.
Released for the first time by Penfolds in the early 1950s. St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters with age. It is matured in an assortment of old large vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion of cabernet may sneak into the blend, the focal point for St Henri remains shiraz.
When purchased in a case (6 bottles), this wine comes in a Penfolds branded wooden box.
| Varietal
Shiraz
|
Shiraz |
|---|---|
| Vintage
2019
|
2019 |
| Volume
750 mL
|
750 mL |
| Closure
Screw Cap
|
Screw Cap |
| Peak Drinking
2024 – 2045
|
2024 – 2045 |
St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual amongst high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on any new oak.
Released for the first time by Penfolds in the early 1950s. St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters with age. It is matured in an assortment of old large vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion of cabernet may sneak into the blend, the focal point for St Henri remains shiraz.
When purchased in a case (6 bottles), this wine comes in a Penfolds branded wooden box.
“Hard to believe that St Henri’s story is relevant across seven decades, given its humility.”
- Steph Dutton, Penfolds Senior Winemaker
| 98 Points - Tony Love |
| 98 Points - Ken Gargett, The World of Fine Wine |
| 19+/20 Points - Matthew Jukes |
| 97 Points - Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com |
| 97 Points - Huon Hooke |
"This can only ever be a stylistic expression of the shiraz variety, as sourcing from six SA districts eliminates regionality. (For the record, The Peninsulas is a defined GI region, this fruit coming from the outskirts of Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.) The wine’s point of difference within the Penfolds range is that it has no new oak maturation and spends only 12 months in large format seasoned vats. The result is a sophisticated, dark, almost mysterious shiraz, a wine with secrets within that one suspects will reveal great joys over the next 20 to 30 years, as its forebears have proved for more than half a century. For now, in and around the black fruits there are flint, mushroom, licorice and roast meat notes. Plenty to unpack. A serious SA shiraz that remains a really enticing proposition. 98 points."
“Immediately spicy and complex, this has a rich blackberry and dark-plum nose, together with dark-chocolate and tarry, earthy elements. The palate has a very rich, fleshy feel with such ripe dark-plum, dark-chocolate, blackberry and mulberry flavors on offer. Generous, yet balanced. A South Australian blend of McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and The Peninsulas. Drink or hold. Screw cap.” – 97 points
"Deep crimson. Intense black cherry, blackcurrant, roasted walnut, cacao, herb garden aromas with cedar notes. Well concentrated sweet black cherry, blackcurrant, hint strawberry fruits, and jammy notes. Some dark chocolate chinotto flavours, fine loose-knit slinky textures, very good mid-palate richness and inky density. Finishes claret firm with roasted walnut notes and attractive mineral length. More bottle age will bring all the elements together. Very expressive. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and emerging ‘The Peninsulas’ zone of South Australia. 12 months in large, seasoned oak vats. Drink 2024–2042. 14.5% alc"
Plum red with a crimson rim.
A charming shiraz, always an outlier among its peers. Here you will find no new oak influence, none required, the very essence of shiraz gently matured in large, seasoned vats. Close examination calls for a wine glass of generous proportions. Swirl, allow the aromatics to emerge slowly, gently. The dark fruits are first to show their credentials... blackberries and mulberries generously adorned with fresh whipped cream. The crunchier red fruits appear next, pomegranate and cranberry. Exotic, enticing. There is a suggestion of mild paprika. A hint of liquorice, toasted fennel seed, dried mint. Meaty aromas, Greek lamb rubbed with olive oil, oregano and sea salt twirling on the rotisserie. From the charcutier, savoury bresaola and prosciutto. Burnished vintage leather.
Structural descriptors don’t usually lead the charge for St Henri, but they are certainly faithful to the 2019 vintage.
A fine graphite core. The warmth and creaminess of Mexican sauce with the weight of wild game: venison loin, braised hare.
Eventually sweet custard flavours emerge, smooth and textural. Portuguese tart!
A suggestion of fine salinity aligns with mouth-watering acidity, cleansing.
As always with St Henri, restrained, no need to be showy.
The dark cacoa tannins are so fine they could be spun from silk.
Will age and evolve beautifully for decades.
McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley recorded well below long-term average winter rainfall, while the vineyards in the South-East growing districts enjoyed above-average winter rainfall. September temperatures were cool with little rainfall, resulting in some isolated frost events. Summer was generally hot, with high temperatures delaying veraison. The Barossa Valley experienced 31 days of temperatures exceeding 35°C while McLaren Vale experienced 25 days (December to March). Irrigation was crucial to keep vines in good health. The proximity of the Southern Ocean played an important role in moderating temperatures in Wrattonbully and Padthaway, allowing for a high-quality harvest, albeit with smaller yields than average. Although yields were down in all regions, the quality was outstanding with shiraz showing excellent colours, firm tannin profiles and intense flavours.
| GRAPE VARIETY
Shiraz
|
Shiraz |
|---|---|
| VINEYARD REGION
McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, The Peninsulas
|
McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, The Peninsulas |
| wine analysis
Alc/Vol: 14.5%, pH: 3.62, Acidity: 6.6g/L
|
Alc/Vol: 14.5%, pH: 3.62, Acidity: 6.6g/L |
| MATURATION
12 months in large seasoned oak vats
|
12 months in large seasoned oak vats |
The first vintage of St Henri – then Auldana Cellars St Henri Claret – was produced in 1888, beginning one of the most famous and enduring names in Australian wine. It was likely named after Auldana’s winemaker Léon Edmond Mazure’s son Henri or his wife, Philomine Henriette. The wine immediately enjoyed success, winning the Championship Cup for Best Claret in Australia at the Adelaide Wine Show in 1890 and then again as a joint winner in 1891. The St Henri label disappeared somewhere around the beginning of World War 1. It was revived by Senior Red Winemaker John Davoren at Penfolds in 1953 to celebrate the centenary of Auldana Cellars. The 1957 vintage is officially recognised as the first St Henri commercial release under the Penfolds name. It gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood.
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