St Henri Shiraz 2019
Penfolds
St Henri Shiraz 2019
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Overview
Overview
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 |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Multi Region |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Closure | Screw Cap |
| Alc/Vol | 14.5% |
| Peak Drinking | 2024 – 2045 |
| Winemaker | The Penfolds Team |
Awards and Accolades
Awards and Accolades
| 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 |
| 96+ Points | Erin Larkin, Robert Parkers Wine Advocate |
| 96 Points | David Sly, Decanter Magazine |
| 96 Points | Lisa Perrotti-Brown |
| 95 Points | Andrew Caillard MW |
| 95 Points | Tyson Stelzer |
| 94 Points | MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator |
Tony Love
"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."
Nick Stock
“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.”
Andrew Caillard
"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. 95 Points."
Taste Description
Taste Description
Nose
A charming shiraz, always an outlier among its peers. No new oak influence, the very essence of shiraz gently matured in large, seasoned vats. Aromatics to emerge slowly, gently. The dark fruits are first to show their credentials... blackberries and mulberries with fresh whipped cream. The crunchier red fruits appear next, pomegranate and cranberry. 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.
Flavours and Palate
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: venison loin, braised hare. Eventually sweet custard flavours emerge, smooth and textural. 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.
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Vintage Conditions
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.
The Penfolds Team
Key to the success of Penfolds has been a lineage of visionary winemakers. There have only ever been four Chief Winemakers at the helm of Penfolds – Max Schubert, Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, each a custodian of a rich winemaking tradition that goes back for more than 170 years.
Our current Penfolds winemaking team has more than 100 years between them as Penfolds winemakers. They are constantly refining and improving their work, whilst honouring the winemaking techniques of their predecessors.