PENFOLDS ST HENRI SHIRAZ 2021

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 (first commercial vintage 1957), it gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood. Proudly, a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion or commerce. 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

Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"With a delicate swirl emerge wafts of raspberry liquorice entwined with white chocolate. Freshly ground nutmeg and toasted fennel seeds interlace with spiced apple pie. Savoury undertones of artisanal pastrami paired with fresh bagels create a canvas that is both complex and harmonious. A duo of wild cherry and pomegranate fruits accompanied by hints of golden custard tarts and toasted sourdough, imparting additional layers of complexity and allure. Ironstone minerality asserts itself, guiding the palate towards a refined savouriness while instilling a sense of mouthwatering tension within each sip. The tannins are masterfully integrated; they are tightly knit yet exude a velvety texture that promises to soften beautifully over time. Careful cellaring will be rewarded."

99/100 Ray Jordan (2021 Vintage)
"This is sublime. It’s a 100% shiraz from the Barossa and McLaren Vale. In some years depending on vintage, it includes some cabernet but the quality this year was perfect. Elegant and stylish with the power and poise you expect of a wine that will cellar for decades. Colour is dense black with just a little red on the edges. Highly perfumed with lots of spicy sage-like red fruits on the nose. There’s a fresh bakery character in here. The palate is restrained and refined with beautiful nuances of red fruits and fine tannins in support. Everything just knits together. This ranks with the greatest yet, and my mind is wandering back to 2010. "

98+/100 Andrew Caillard MW (2021 Vintage)
"2021 St Henri Shiraz is a wonderful vintage; arguably one of the best. The superb ethereal juxtaposition of fruit and tannin bring an extra complexity and interest. This could well be compared to the glorious 2010 vintage in terms of its cellaring potential."

97/100 Tyson Stelzer (2021 Vintage)
"The magnificent, cool 2021 season plays to the natural, effortless elegance of St Henri. Blueberry and blackberry fruit are the eloquent themes, uniting supple expression with the fine-boned confidence of cool nights. The result plays fine-grained tannins impeccably amidst bright acidity, serving to set a style set to evolve in slow motion for many decades to come. Exceptional line and length set apart one of the great St Henris of the modern era."

97/100 Dave Brookes, James Halliday's Wine Companion (2021 Vintage)
"I can’t remember seeing a better looking young St Henri. With 70-odd vintages under its belt, it is a style that resonates with me personally with its emphasis on large oak vats for maturation and the pristine flow of fruit. The 2021 vintage was a strong one and the fruit really shines – plum, blue and black fruits, cut with gentle spice, olive paste, violets, pomegranate molasses, chocolate and ironstone. It’s a calm wine, the fruit flowing like a rolling swell over the palate, fine, powdery tannins providing form, finishing savoury and with impeccable balance and length of flavour."

95/100 Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front (2021 Vintage)
"Beautiful fruit. Plums, raspberries and soy, integrated fragrant herbs and whispers of vanilla cream. There’s no lack of richness but it feels at peace with the world, calm and mellifluous. Raspberry notes push through as the wine breathes, and tannin is finely etched. St Henri be what St Henri does. This release will not blow anyone away but it will charm the socks off most. It’s the heart of the Penfolds range."