External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.6 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 41 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Canberra Tony on 8/26/2023 & rated 88 points: Drank the last of my 6 pack last night. It still had a very good nose, and colour was crimson with no brown tones. The flavour was still very full but the wine was a little short. Tannins beautifully integrated and there was some pepper.
The wine is still fully intact but probably starting the downward path. (478 views) | | | Tasted by Wineweapon on 4/22/2022 flawed bottle: Was corked
Made a great spaghetti though (1133 views) | | | Tasted by @Bin389lover on 12/26/2021 & rated 94 points: Excellent drinking even if a little after its best range. Full bodied and went well with eye fillet. (1226 views) | | | Tasted by nmescher on 5/26/2018 & rated 94 points: Great ageing and a mellow but deep taste to complement roast beef (3402 views) | | | Tasted by Jimmy_D on 10/17/2017 & rated 90 points: First glass via Coravin from an unopened bottle. What Graeme said was pretty much spot on for me. It’s nice without reaching any serious heights. Has your typical ‘aged wine, no real character’ profile. Wouldn’t knock back a glass, but I wouldn’t shell out for a bottle either. (3694 views) | | | Tasted by graemeg on 2/6/2017: NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2007 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14%} (David) Decanted at start of dinner. Still deep in colour, but the plums and mulberries have a fair bit of tar in there too, hinting at old Penfolds. There are still some low powdery tannins supporting plenty of flavour, although they fade pretty fast. The aged plummy fruit is a touch baked; the wine is medium-bodied, but the finish really is on the short side. It was a no-better-than-average vintage on the whole; it’s a good effort, but the seams are showing and it needs drinking now. (4451 views) | | | Tasted by Philckw on 7/30/2016 & rated 92 points: Colour: Dark ruby.
Body: Medium
Nose: Plums, slight earth, berries
Palate: Dried fruit, plums, some chocolate, slight earth, very well balanced.
Medium finish. Delicious!
Wish I had another bottle :) (4105 views) | | | Tasted by rmarkey on 2/5/2016 & rated 94 points: Excellent, classic style from Penfolds. 14% alc.
Colour: black berry and cherry, dark chocolate
Bouquet: sweet blackberry and plum fruit, slightly antsy and jammy, leathery and earthy
Palate: as bouquet, good body, entirely fruit driven, good clean acid and long finish, peppery. Wonderful balance, depth, sophisticated.
February 2016 (4513 views) | | | Tasted by BuzzzzOff on 8/27/2015 & rated 90 points: Our sommelier friend gifted this bottle to us in honour of our wedding anniversary of the same vintage. We opened and sipped with him and another sommelier friend at home. Our first time sipping St. Henri and very definitely our first time sipping such an old Australian drop. We were pleasantly surprised after breathing for 2 hours in the bottle as the nose offered leather, coffee, prunes and some hints of chocolate. The palate still demonstrated the power of Shiraz with subtle tannins, elegant red fruit and hints of veggies. Somewhat surprisingly impressive! (3873 views) | | | Tasted by rmarkey on 3/28/2015 & rated 93 points: Excellent, 14% alc.
Colour: black berry.
Bouquet: mint, chocolate, dusty, red and blak berries - black currant and plum.
Palate: as bouquet, spicey, soft voluptuous tannins, fruit driven, fruit driven, smooth, elegant, balanced, but slightly short in length.
March 2015 (3386 views) | | | Tasted by JeandeTroyes on 1/5/2015 & rated 93 points: Restrained for an Australian shiraz, but up to expectations from Penfolds (who seldom fail to deliver). Beautifully balanced, elegant, some background fruit and - although there's little tanins or acidity left - remarkably strong in the mid-palate region. A lovely wine (despite the weaker vintage) and well worth having. It will continue to deliver for a few years to come. (3127 views) | | | Tasted by JerM on 10/25/2014 & rated 94 points: (Pre-Road-Trip Brunner) Funky old boots, soft leather, rubber smoke, ashes, and a sappiness reminiscent of young starfruits. Palate is an explosion of perfume, soft dark florals, violets, hawflakes, sweetly nosed. Bright acid. Tobacco, savoury peppers and sweet fruit on the finish. Drinking well now, but do not keep! (2433 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 8/30/2014 flawed bottle: Lunch at Wine-Ark Daves (Banksia, Sydney): Cork taint, VA over sweet oak - FLAW (2754 views) | | | Tasted by Barnaby33 on 9/16/2013: Still holding up surprisingly well. Very restrained for an Aussie. Popped and poured. Dried out after open for an hour so I wouldn't decant. For a year widely considered sub-par, a very enjoyable wine. (3756 views) | | | Tasted by _PRH_ on 11/11/2012 & rated 90 points: Last Bottle - Still very good (4824 views) | | | Tasted by cakebread88 on 10/6/2012 & rated 91 points: For the vintage, awfully good wine. Plum colour with balance up the middle. Not overly extracted, this fruity wine with cherries and choclate. I was impressed how well it tasted and the flavour lasted. There are no leftovers and my better half had seconds. I show finished for this vintage but suspect I need to look hard and find another. I do not believe it will improve much but I do not believe it is ready to go down either. (5032 views) | | | Tasted by Mige on 7/18/2012 & rated 92 points: Very deep crimson colour with a tawny rim. Superb nose, perfumed aroma of violets and cedar followed by nuances of dried black fruits and spice. The palate is smoot and very well balanced. Long length and refined flavours of cedar, violets and spices. Velvet smooth tannins. (5573 views) | | | Tasted by JRo on 11/24/2011 & rated 89 points: On the decline - drink up (6346 views) | | | Tasted by Greybeard on 9/3/2010 & rated 90 points: What a nose! Somewhat Pinot in style, a little stinky moving into a sweet spicyness & some liquirice. This was a full flavoured mouthful; smoky with some sweet fruit and very fine tannins throughout. The finish was medium-long, this wine was still full of flavour and the best of a 3 Aussie Shiraz night by far. 90-91pts. (6640 views) | | | Tasted by graemeg on 7/5/2010: NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds & Henschke - Top Shelf Shiraz (Alio's, Surry Hills): [14%, cork] {David} Opened and poured. Developing but sprightly nose of mostly weedy tobacco concealing some spicy berry fruit beneath. On the palate this assumes a rather confected air, giving a rather one-dimensional aspect to the blackberry fruits and charcoal-chocolate flavours; moderate dusty tannins and some mid-palate weight can’t overcome a slight coarseness to the texture (admittedly exacerbated by some rather majestic comparative bottles tonight!). I reckon Duval’s winemaking team had to work pretty hard to get this where they did in 1997; the wine is unlikely to become any more interesting, but ought to hold for another 5 years happily enough, although don’t expect improvement. (6580 views) | | | Tasted by gb1406 on 6/27/2010 & rated 90 points: Brick colour; surprised by the intense fruit aromas and as other described very little oak. Soft and full flavored, dark fruits and wonderful tannin structure (5783 views) | | | Tasted by whatsgoinon on 6/25/2010 & rated 92 points: Decanted and not tasted for an hour. Beautifully integrated, fine dusty tannins. Subtle complexity across the palate, initial raspberry and cherry flavours developing into darker fruits, with hints of leather and mocha as it opened up further. Will begin to decline within next 1-2 years. (5806 views) | | | Tasted by DT7474 on 1/27/2010 & rated 87 points: Required at least an hour to even start opening up, after that it was a real journey from start to end, earthy flavours and big Shiraz fruit shining through with minimal oak, very enjoyable, but should drink the rest this year. This was shared with Damon, Foz and Laura at Lugarno Jan 2010 with Peking Duck and rare scotch fillet off the BBQ. (6219 views) | | | Tasted by rwgray on 12/22/2009 & rated 90 points: Dark in character. Not a big showy nose but lovely flavour and balance.Drinking well now but should last for another 2-5 years. Certainly doesn't taste Australian. (6268 views) | | | Tasted by Fantomas on 11/14/2009 & rated 95 points: Simply phenomenal and of unexpected character. The nose was already promisingly rich in fruit, rather strawberry than black cherry, and very little oak. On the palate, this wine was sensational. Smooth attack, quite a mouthful but wonderfully balanced. Red fruit and nuts, a bit of leather but no tar or oak. With a bit of imagination, one could taste some rosemary spiciness in it, but wonderfully wrapped in silky texture. My favourite for the year so far. (6691 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Penfolds Producer website
Producer Cellar Door - Barossa (Google Maps)
About Us
Australia's winemaking history of less than two hundred years is brief by European measures though, like Europe, punctuated by periods of extreme success and difficult times. From the earliest winemaking days Penfolds has figured prominently and few would argue the importance of Penfolds’ influence on Australia’s winemaking psyche.
Without the influence of Penfolds the modern Australian wine industry would look very different indeed. Sitting comfortably outside of fad and fashion, Penfolds has taken Australian wine to the world on a grand stage and forged a reputation for quality that is without peer.
Penfolds’ reputation for making wines of provenance and cellaring potential might suggest a mantle of tradition and formality is the preferred attire of a company with so much history to defend. But to label Penfolds as simply an established and conventional winemaker, would be to confuse tradition with consideration and to overlook the innovative spirit that has driven Penfolds since its foundation, and continues to find expression in modern times.
If there is anything traditional about Penfolds, it is the practice of constantly reviewing the wines it already does well, and continuously evolving and refining styles as vineyards mature and access to ever older and more varied vineyard sites improves.
Making The Best Possible Wine
At Penfolds, the role of the winemaker is to make the best possible wine within the constraints of each vintage. Penfolds’ house style emerged from a fortified-wine producing culture and evolved as a winemaking philosophy – a way of making wine – which has had a profound effect on the entire Australian wine industry.
The concept of multi-regional and vineyard blending, a feature of the Penfolds house style, is an amplification of the ‘all-round wine’. Without the constraints of a single vineyard, winemakers could choose the best possible fruit with the outstanding characteristics of each vineyard.
While American oak has played a central role in the development of Penfolds red wines, French oak has been increasingly used in the evolution of new wines – particularly RWT and Yattarna. Maturation in oak, which follows fermentation, is also key to the Penfolds house style.
The Penfolds approach to winemaking has percolated through the entire Australian wine industry over the last 50 years. The techniques employed in research and development of Penfolds wines are remarkable and many of the discoveries and innovations have had a lasting impact on winemaking thinking.
Winemakers
In Max Schubert, Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, Penfolds has nurtured four of Australia's great winemakers. They have passed the Chief Winemaker’s baton of responsibility for crafting some of Australia's most iconic wines, down through the past six decades.
Joining Peter Gago in the Penfolds winemaking team are Senior Red Winemaker Steve Lienert, Senior White Winemaker Kym Schroeter, and Red Winemakers Andrew Baldwin, Adam Clay, Stephanie Dutton and Matt Woo - also the Penfolds Fortified Winemaker. All members of the Penfolds winemaking team ensure that Penfolds’ reputation for outstanding quality is upheld.
Vineyards
Barossa Valley
Penfolds draws fruit from a combined vineyard area of 618 hectares in the Barossa region of South Australia. The Barossa is about 70 kilometres north of Adelaide and in 1911 Penfolds established a winery at Nuriootpa, completed in time for the 1913 vintage. The Barossa region is known for its relatively low rainfall with many vineyards dry grown on single wire trellising.
Magill Estate
The historic and heritage-protected Magill Estate Vineyard was established in 1844 by Dr Christopher Rawson and Mary Penfold—just eight years after the foundation of Adelaide. It was originally known as the Grange Vineyard, named after their new homestead ‘The Grange’, a cottage which still stands intact amongst the vines.
Eden Valley
Joseph Gilbert planted the first vines in the Eden Valley in 1842 and since that time the region has become synonymous with producing elegant riesling and complex shiraz. While its name suggests a concave nature, Eden Valley is actually a wide ridge, situated east of the Barossa Valley with an altitude ranging from 440 – 550 metres.
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is located approximately 40km to the south of Adelaide, with the vineyards in the region located between 6 and 15 kilometres from the Gulf of St Vincent. The elevation ranges from 50 to 350 metres above sea level. Penfolds has company owned vineyards throughout the region, using the fruit as blending components for premium red wines such as Grange and Bin 389.
Coonawarra
Penfolds has had a long history with the Coonawarra region, dating back to their first vineyard purchase in 1960. It is one of the most famous red wine regions in Australia with weathered limestone terra rossa soils, relatively cool climate and overall water availability. Coonawarra has played a significant role in many of Penfolds' multi-regional wines as well as the single region wines such as Bin 128.
James Halliday Australian Wine Companion Winery Of The Year 2014: Penfolds
Penfolds is Australia’s foremost winemaker, with an unbroken line dating back to its establishment in 1844 when medical practitioner Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold and wife Mary purchased ‘the delightfully situated and truly valuable of Mackgill … Comprising 500 acres (202 hectares) of the choicest land’. Here they built the house that still stands today, and within a few years had begun the winery and cellar on the site of today’s buildings at Magill Estate.
Mary took charge of winemaking, initially producing grenache prescribed by her husband as a tonic for anaemic patients. By 1870 she, son-in-law Thomas Hyland and cellar manager/winemaker Joseph Gillard had formed Penfolds & Co. With markets in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, their wine production was over one-third of South Australia’s total.
Growth continued unabated, and in 1945 Penfolds acquired the jewel of the Magill Vineyard, at that time the largest vineyard in South Australia. It now has 2100 hectares of vineyards, the largest share of Australia’s total. Two men came together in the 1950s to lay the foundation of Penfolds today: winemaker Max Schubert, and research chemist Ray Beckwith (who died shortly after his 100th birthday in 2012); indeed, their contribution transcended Penfolds to the entire Australian wine industry.
The architecture for the Penfolds wine portfolio of the twenty-first century was established in the 1960s, half a century ago. There has been growth, both in the range of labels and their price points, but it has been cleverly – indeed sensitively – managed; demand-driven growth has been achieved without any quality compromise whatsoever.
There is no possibility that the pre-eminence of Penfolds will ever be challenged by any other Australian wine business. Equally certain is that the Penfolds brand value will continue to gain ground on the world stage of all consumable products. If proof be needed, the overall quality of the wines in this Wine Companion is the best Penfolds has ever presented to the markets of the globe.
Author: James Halliday Jul 20131997 Penfolds Shiraz St. HenriThe Penfolds St. henri style is a dramatic contrast to grange. St. henri is pure, unadorned Shiraz, virtually alone among high-quality australian reds in that it has never relied on new oak. it was created in the mid-1950s (first commercial vintage 1957) and gained a new lease on life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood. Penfolds St. henri is rich and plush when young and gains soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. Before bottling it is matured in old, 2000 litre vats that allow the wine to develop, but impart no oak character. a proportion of Cabernet is used to improve structure, but in Penfolds St. henri, Shiraz stands alone. Packaged in laser-etched bottles since the 1996 vintage. ST. hENri Vineyard region Barossa Valley, Mclaren Vale, Eden Valley, Padthaway, adelaide hills Vintage Conditions a cool summer delayed ripening in all South australian wine regions. a spell of extreme heat in February further upset ripening, and cool weather followed, increasing concerns. But then came five weeks of warm, dry weather from late March - and the State's wine industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. grape Variety Shiraz (Syrah) Maturation 12 months in large, old oak vats. Wine analysis alc/Vol: 14.00% acidity: 6.50g/l ph: 3.48 last tasted 1-Sep-03 peak drinking Now - 2010 Food MatChes ideally suited to Beef Winemaker comments by John Duval Colour Deep purple. nose Varietal Shiraz, minus oak! aromas of stewed raspberries and loganberries, plus savoury, meaty nuances and hints of chocolate, cocoa and black tea in the background. palate Mouthfilling and expansive, yet perfectly poised. generously fruity, with liqueur chocolate and dried fruit flavours adding complexity. long and lingering, with attractive, velvety tannins. Will drink beautifully on release - especially if decanted and given some air - but could just as easily be left in the cellar for 8-10 years.The Penfolds St. henri style is a dramatic contrast to grange. St. henri is pure, unadorned Shiraz, virtually alone among high-quality australian reds in that it has never relied on new oak. it was created in the mid-1950s (first commercial vintage 1957) and gained a new lease on life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood. Penfolds St. henri is rich and plush when young and gains soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. Before bottling it is matured in old, 2000 litre vats that allow the wine to develop, but impart no oak character. a proportion of Cabernet is used to improve structure, but in Penfolds St. henri, Shiraz stands alone. Packaged in laser-etched bottles since the 1996 vintage. ST. hENri Vineyard region Barossa Valley, Mclaren Vale, Eden Valley, Padthaway, adelaide hills Vintage Conditions a cool summer delayed ripening in all South australian wine regions. a spell of extreme heat in February further upset ripening, and cool weather followed, increasing concerns. But then came five weeks of warm, dry weather from late March - and the State's wine industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. grape Variety Shiraz (Syrah) Maturation 12 months in large, old oak vats. Wine analysis alc/Vol: 14.00% acidity: 6.50g/l ph: 3.48 last tasted 1-Sep-03 peak drinking Now - 2010 Food MatChes ideally suited to Beef Winemaker comments by John Duval Colour Deep purple. nose Varietal Shiraz, minus oak! aromas of stewed raspberries and loganberries, plus savoury, meaty nuances and hints of chocolate, cocoa and black tea in the background. palate Mouthfilling and expansive, yet perfectly poised. generously fruity, with liqueur chocolate and dried fruit flavours adding complexity. long and lingering, with attractive, velvety tannins. Will drink beautifully on release - especially if decanted and given some air - but could just as easily be left in the cellar for 8-10 years.Penfolds Shiraz St. HenriThe Rewards of Patience (7th Edition)
Vintage Label Shiraz Cabernet
2011 St Henri Shiraz 100%
2010 St Henri Shiraz 100%
2009 St Henri Shiraz 97% 3%
2008 St Henri Shiraz 91% 9%
2007 St Henri Shiraz 100%
2006 St Henri Shiraz 89% 11%
2005 St Henri Shiraz 89% 11%
2004 St Henri Shiraz 96% 4%
2003 St Henri Shiraz 100%
2002 St Henri Shiraz 90% 10%
2001 St Henri Shiraz 100%
2000 St Henri Shiraz 100%
1999 St Henri Shiraz 89% 11%
1998 St Henri Shiraz 92% 8%
1997 St Henri Shiraz 92% 8%
1996 St Henri Shiraz 90% 10%
1995 St Henri Shiraz- Cabernet 85% 15%
1994 St Henri Shiraz- Cabernet 77% 23%
1993 St Henri Shiraz- Cabernet 87% 13%
1992 St Henri Shiraz- Cabernet 79% 21%
1991 St Henri Shiraz 90% 10%
1990 St Henri Shiraz 89% 11%
1989 St Henri Claret 89% 11%
1988 St Henri Claret 88% 12%
1987 St Henri Claret 87% 13%
1986 St Henri Claret 86% 14%
1985 St Henri Claret 99% 1%
1984 St Henri Claret 77% 23%
1983 St Henri Claret 81% 19%
1982 St Henri Claret 61% 39%
1981 St Henri Claret 74% 26%
1980 St Henri Claret 77% 23%
1979 St Henri Claret 67% 33%
1978 St Henri Claret 56% 44%
1977 St Henri Claret 51% 49%
1976 St Henri Claret 74% 26%
1975 St Henri Claret 75% 25%
1974 St Henri Claret
1973 St Henri Claret
1972 St Henri Claret
1971 St Henri Claret
1970 St Henri Claret
1969 St Henri Claret
1968 St Henri Claret
1967 St Henri Claret
1966 St Henri Claret
1965 St Henri Claret
1964 St Henri Claret
1963 St Henri Claret
1962 St Henri Claret
1961 St Henri Claret
1960 St Henri Claret
1959 St Henri Claret
1958 St Henri Claret
1957 St Henri Claret
1956 St Henri Claret
Shiraz Varietal article (Wikipedia) | Varietal character (Appellation America)St. HenriHomepage for Penfolds, St. Henri:
https://www.penfolds.com/en-au/wines/the-penfolds-collection/st-henri-shiraz/Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia) |
|
