PENFOLDS ST HENRI SHIRAZ 2023

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"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 has not 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.

Brooding and complex, layers of black and blue fruits unfold alongside dark spices and lightly roasted coffee beans. Mineral and savoury notes emerge; wet steel on oilstone, ferric ironstone and flint are interwoven with a subtle suggestion of cordite smoke. Exotic herbal notes evoke a visit to a traditional apothecary, while fresh nettles and oolong black tea add further allure. Accents of goji berry add lift and aromatic tension.

Juicy and generous yet firmly structured. A deep, dark fruit profile is matched by the umami savouriness of rare steak and an olive-brined undertone. Tannins are impeccable – tight, finely woven and assured, drawing the palate long and detailed. Nuances of Chinese tea, fennel and liquorice provide precision and persistence, finishing with restraint, depth and unmistakable St Henri authority."

97/100 Jeni Port, WinePilot.com, June 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"Not the easiest of vintages, 2023 was cool and wet. This might explain the arrival of a new region to the St. Henri blend: Frankland River. It joins Port Lincoln and regulars McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Padthaway in what must have been a busy blending exercise. Keeps true to the style in warmth of personality. A deeply coloured wine with intense blackberry, plum, briar, earth, leather aromas. The texture is striking, layered in deep pile, fine tannins and tiers of ripe black fruits, spices that lift, notes of chocolate and earth and a clean, smooth run through to the finish. A challenging vintage once again proves the value of Penfolds multi-regional blending philosophy and turns out an impressive St. Henri."

96/100 Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com, Wine Advocate, June 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"the 2023 St. Henri Shiraz is silky and fine, balanced and herbal, with star anise and shaved fennel, raspberry, milk chocolate, violets and freshness. It is really excellent. These current St. Henri's are very different in style to the early iterations of the cuvée, yet they manage to express a similar effortlessness and ease. I would say, on balance, that the alcohols are higher than the wines from the 1980s and before, yet the tannins are very polished and cleverly managed. I think this serves to set them apart or, at least, to create two schools of stylistic thinking—I am, for what it's worth, a fan of both."

96/100 Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, July 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"The noticeable difference in this wine, in a Penfolds context, is the lower or non-existence of oak flavour, but almost more noticeable is the lower impact of sweetness on the flavour profile. It’s ripe for certain, it’s not herbal, but it feels dry not just on the finish but throughout. This dryness adds an elegance, especially in tandem with this release’s mineral or graphite-like edges. We see plums and cherries here, asphalt even, along with peppercorns, and we also see wonderful extension through the finish. I’m happy to mark this as an excellent release of St Henri. It has more overt structure than usual, integrated as it is. St Henri is customarily cellar-worthy, but this release is particularly so."

96/100 Julie Sheppard, Decanter, July 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"St Henri is the only top Penfolds red that doesn't rely on new oak, instead spending 12 months in large, seasoned oak vats. This no doubt contributes to its approachability in youth, which is even more evident in this appealing vintage. Harmonious and detailed aromas of freshly crushed black and blue fruits, with a meaty savouriness, herbal wafts and ironstone minerality, lead to a generous and open palate. Light on its feet, with finely wrought tannins and a persistent core of pitch-black fruit, adorned with an umami savouriness, gravelly minerality and spicy notes of star anise, liquorice and black tea. "

17/20 Max Allen, JancisRobinson.com, June 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"Fine, lifted aromatic bramble fruit, a touch of camphor, some ‘old-cellar’ aromas, sweet, dried mushroom, and leather. Wonderfully ‘old-fashioned’ and true to style: all open-textured, surprisingly ‘elegant’ (still lots of presence and flavour here), with an evenness and harmony to the tannins. A St Henri for earlier enjoyment."