-
98
/ 100
James Suckling -
97
/ 100
Tyson Stelzer
Red
Classification
Shiraz
Variety
2012
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
Australia
Country
South Australia, Multi Regional
Region
14.5%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
98 / 100"A highly-anticipated wine from vintage 2012, this doesn't disappoint. Just 3% cabernet, quite tightly-knit red fruit, blackberry, dried red currants, goji berries and a subtle undertone of earthiness. The palate has an entirely different texture to the other reds, it is all silk, tannins are polished to a bright, lustrous texture, slippery, even, deceptively powerful, plush, pure and long. Finishes bright and expansive, this is one of the great St. Henri releases! You can drink it now, but those who wait until after 2020 will be happiest."
- James Suckling
97 / 100
"St Henri was the same price as Grange when the two were first released in the 1950s. 2010 St Henri declared that this label is still deserving of greater respect than it is afforded, and 2012 confirms that this was no one-off. The mild summer, dry autumn and even development of small berries and bunches produced beautifully pure and distinguished fruit that plays perfectly to the St Henri style. The graceful, supple blue fruits of classic St Henri are on parade in a wine of effortless, refined persistence. Nuances of liquorice and dark chocolate are supported by definitive St Henri fruit tannins, seamlessly presented, with a silky, supple mouth feel and yet somehow still firm and enduring. A great St Henri of effortless longevity, following in the legacy of 2010 and promising a thrilling future. A blend of 97% shiraz and 3% cabernet from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Robe and Clare Valley, matured for 13 months in 50+ year old large oak vats."
- Tyson Stelzer
Tasting Notes
Penfolds St Henri is a highly successful and alternative expression of Shiraz and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual among high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on any new oak. It was created in the early 1950s (first commercial vintage 1957) and gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood.
"If I were forced to make a list of my Top Ten Australian Wines, then you’d find St Henri near the top. It goes into my cellar and down my neck fairly regularly, though perhaps not as often as I’d like." - Gary Walsh
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity