Cork, 14% alc. Signed by Penfolds winemaker, Peter Taylor. Auction purchase in the early 2000s.
Medium garnet/ pale ruby. Some bricking. Level into neck. Cork damp all through, and completely disintegrated upon opening with an Ah-So. minimal ullage.
Tannins largely resolved, slightly grainy. Savoury and dusty palate with dried sour edged fruit. Acidic line. Losing some fruit, and likely over the crest, but still life left. A bottle by bottle proposition at this age.
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Probably not going to improve much from here. Nice aged red. Minimal ullage, cork came out in one piece successfully. Moderate bricking. Fruit fading slightly with some smoky cigar box notes coming through.
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{cork, 14%} Aging, bricking note to the colour. Decanted off a fair amount of sediment. Cork half damp, ullage fine. Nose a bit acetic, leathery. All very tertiary. Palate is very advanced, a bit ‘generic old wine’, with leather and rotting fruit, aged strawberries, maybe. Trembly acidity, faded tannins. Medium weight, with a medium length but not very seductive finish. On this instance, on the downslope.
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Level in to the neck. Cork barely soaked. Dark garnet. Black fruits and a touch of spice on the nose. Elegant and refined palate, integrated tannins are in the background. There’s so much to like here. It builds in the glass and seems to gain momentum over a few hours. This bottle was singing.
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19th July 2019 Decanted for 30mins; didn’t take long to open and breathe.
Colour is dark, no sign of age...but not big in fruits either...wine comes across as very balanced, aged well over the years...very elegant finish....still can cellar for a few more years..
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Remarkably fresh, bright and vibrant. Some real depth of savoury and sawdust notes under the fruit, dark berry of course. Heavy sediment - decanting vital. Shame I only had one.
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55th TWIGS Tasting (Villa Chang): Cork. 14% alc. Dark garnet centre. Lovely bouquet - sweet black and blue fruits, dried herbs. It's an elegant wine in the mouth, with fine, integrating, soft tannins providing just enough structure for the harmonious, mid-weighted palate to flow to a long finish. There are developed characters coming out in the wine. It's in a nice spot right now.
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Level in to the neck. Cork only 1/3 soaked. Fruit fading but still present, with lovely developed nuances. Lots of interest in the medium, resolved palate. Lovey drinking.
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Another bottle in super condition. Balance of primary and secondary aromas and flavours, with an elegant, harmonious medium weight palate. There's some depth here, and some complexities - nothing sticking out though. Black fruits, leather, hint of pepper. Tannins are fine and almost completely resolved. It's drinking wonderfully well.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Perfect cork. Colour again showed minimal bricking, with a deep garnet centre. Delicate nose, plum, blue fruits overlain with wild herbs and a hint of anise. It's a wine of elegance and finesse. Tannins resolved, everything harmonious. The finish is soft and with reasonable length. Peaking now.
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Perfect cork. Minimal ullage. Garnet, with no bricking. Black fruits still present, but now showing mellowed flavours. Lovely balance here, with mid weighted intensity and a refined finish. Too easy to drink with no thought given to it's age! The lack of complexity overshadowed by the sophistication.
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29th April 2017 Decantered 30 mins Colour has brown hues reflecting its age; was concerned that we had cellared this wine past it drink by age. The nose however was very inviting; hints of sweetness, berries and cassis. The wine began to open up the longer it decantered. It is very balanced. The finish unfortunately was a little dry and short. Though Penfolds have informed me these 1996 can continue to cellar well another decade, am really concerned about the longevity of the remaining bottles.
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{cork, 14%} From my cellar, decanted just prior to drinking. Excellent-looking cork, a heap of sediment encrusted on the bottle; very little in the wine. Some bricking to the garnet colour. Aged and even slightly tired nose; leathery old red flavours, a touch of mustiness perhaps. No TCA though. Slightly raisin-like quality to the flavours; blackberry maybe, not much tar. Medium-bodied, with low/medium dusty tannins, little obvious oak, medium acid. Good balance along the tongue, and medium/long finish dry, not too astringent. This was good, if seemingly a bit below expectation. On this sample you'd say drink up, but I've had better examples recently, so it's a crap-shoot nowadays.
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Perfectly ripened, sweet red and dark fruit mingled with developing complexity. Intense and lengthy. Satisfying. Excellent vintage of one of Penfolds better valued wines. Yet to hit its peak. (93 Excellent wine)
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yea well, I guess this is a well made, clean and true to form kinda wine, but oh so boring. Excitement factor zero. Hang on for another decade and hope for a miracle. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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NobleRottersSydney - 1996 night (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14%} {Greg} Decanted at table. Rich, developing nose of dark blackberry fruits, plums; it really is intense with a real red depth to it. The palate is gorgeous; intense, alive with structural dusty tannins and medium/high acid; it doesn’t miss the oak at all, such is the tightly-bound purity of the red shiraz fruit, walking a perfect line between sweet and savoury. It’s not without a tobacco-like hint of age either. Medium-bodied, maybe just a little more, but I thinks that’s subjectively because it all hangs together so beautifully. Best example of this wine I’ve had so far, and on this tasting, has years ahead of it still.
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jammy black fruit cherry voer berry, vanilla, chocolate. Slight mustiness, quite, thick and dense black fruit, very slight Ribena, plain chocolate, talc textured tannins that are drying but doesn't dominate the fruit. Long. Fleshy with being too juicy. Very good.
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{cork 14%} Garnet with a touch of brick. Surprisingly reticent nose, although it opened up with time. A longer decant would probably have helped; this was done just prior to drinking. The bouquet is prettily floral, with a little spice. The 'little oak' has rarely been so obvious as here. The palate is just medium-bodied, with soft red fruits and only some development evident. Doesn't really seem twenty I must say. But fairly low key, despite the even balance on the palate. Gentle low level tannins, medium acid. Only a medium length finish. Part of me suspects this needs another decade to truly shine. Another part of me is ever-so-slightly disappointed.
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Way past its best. I suspect poorly cellared by others. Dry cork, dirty nose, brown colour out of the bottle, dull and lifeless in the decanter, good mouth feel but no fruit, slight tannins suggesting firmness and structure.
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Very different to the previous bottle. Cork was in great condition. Nose is a little muted really. With some primary dark fruits and hints of leather. Mouth is interesting. Really quite high acid and plenty of fruit. Tannins well integrated. I wouldn't say the finish is short, but no where near the length of previous bottles. Just goes to show, there aren't great wines, only great bottles.
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Drinking really well right now. There's still plenty of blueberry and blood plum fruit coupled with some leather and chocolate development. It is nicely balanced and the ripe fruits are underpinned by minerally acidity. There's a refreshing crispness to the finish and plenty of savoury nuance once the wine is swallowed.
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This drew an immediate and very expressive ‘ooohhh’ from one of the group and I can understand why. Up-front licorice with some secondary characters of seasoned leather, cedar and earthiness. This was countered by cloves and fennel seed with some slightly porty plum fruit. The palate shows a velvety texture, with rich fruit sweetness (a mélange of red and black fruits), some supporting acid and fine but firm tannins. Medium finish.
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Ruby, with edges of browning in decanter. Viscous, good acids and light tannins, nice balance. The fruit is intense, a touch of spice, but it doesn't have much complexity or great finish but still a good drink. Will age, but may not improve much from now.
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Fun wine. Right after opening, this has some very interesting Rhone-like aromas - more on the tar and rubber side of syrah. But as the wine warms up and takes on air, the nose becomes more typical of Aussie Shiraz, with surmature dark fruit stepping forward. Despite all the action on the nose, the palate remains pleasantly stable showing good structure, nice acid backbone, and ample (but not overblown) fruit. This was excellent, and will continue to age well, I think.
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22nd dec 2012 Decanted for 20mins before serving. This wine was served with a leg of lamb. The colour is a strong ruby red and has very little legs. The nose has a hint of spiciness. The first mouthful a little dry perhaps due to the spiciness but this is still a full bodied wine and has kept it age well. The feel is not as velvety nor the finish as elegant as I remembered of its brethren I savoured several years before but definitely still an enjoyable wine.
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1st Dec 2012 Decantered for 30mins The color was dark red with no obvious legs; the nose was especially flavorful, strong berries and mild sweetness. The first mouthful was surprisingly enjoyable (as the previous few bottles I tasted displayed its age and past it's peak) with complex fruit and spice; medium bodied and fairly nicely balanced and a dry finish....am intrigued to savor my next bottle sooner rather than later....
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6th Oct 2012: kicked off the dinner with this wine and followed up with a Cyril Henschke CabSav 1996.
Decantered for 20mins. The colour is red with a hint of brown; not many legs. This wine though still nice seem to age much faster than i anticipated. The nose is less aromatic with every bottle i consume and leads me to believe that i should accelerate my consumption rate less it speeds past its 'best by' date sooner than expected.
there is a lack of freshness and the age of the wine is apparent not that it has become more balanced but that you know it has aged...
Nonetheless, still a good wine.....
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28th Dec 2011 decanted for 20mins. this wine was preceded by a Cloudy Bay Pinot. The St. Henri, the colour being less red and intense perhaps showing its age with a brown tinge and typical of a shiraz was spicy, peppery. It is still an enjoyable wine.
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{cork, 14%} After cabernet & pinot, faculties aren't in top shape to analyse this... but the inherent greatness of this wine still shines through. Decanted for sediment just prior to drinking. Rich, ripe shiraz; pure and dense but not gloopy or artificial; it smells of blackcurrants, plums, liquorice, chocolate. Finely graduated tannins of medium weight, unobtrusive acid, and medium-full bodied weight all combine in a great vinous package. Does pick up a quasi-jammy sweetness as it sits in the glass. Astounding finish of great length and balance, dry yet sweetly-fruited; a grand testament to the greatness of the 96 vintage. This ought to improve for another 15 years at least, and be drinkable for 30, I reckon. Decent-looking cork did the job well enough. A great wine.
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At its best after four hours in the decanter, and beyond that, I can't say, as it was all gone. After four had settled, smoothed, and unwound. All about the fruit, though elegance and pure ripe flavours more than power. Beautiful dark berries, mostly blueberry. Superb balance and structure. Chalky tannins. Exceptionally long finish. Earlier in its decant was still outstanding, albeit more rich, intense and peppery. Hope I get to try this again in five, ten, perhaps even fifteen and twenty years from now. Will only get better, I think. 95+
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9th Dec 2011: prior to having this wine, we had a barrolo, a greenock creek shiraz. decantered the first bottle of St. Henri for about 10-20mins. The colour is intense ruby red and the legs were prominent though there was little if any taste of alcohol. The bouquet was strong with berries and a hint of chocolate. Upon the first taste, the full bodied nature of the wine comes through and this was followed by a spiciness that seems to become stronger with each mouthful. It is still a good wine by any standard though i must confess that i did not enjoy these 2 bottles as much as i did the previous ones.
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29th Oct 2011: Decantered for 20 mins. Colour was a dark crimson with hardly any legs on the glass. The bouquet was peppery and this was confirmed with the spiciness upon the first mouthful with a long finish. This is a very enjoyable wine and i am looking forward to the next 21 bottles.
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Amazingly youthful in both its appearance in the glass and its aromatics and flavours. Intense blueberry on the nose. The palette gushes with fully bodied dark fruit flavours and a smoky finish. Probably more exciting by the glass than by the whole bottle (it's pretty rich and intense), but this is definitely some serious wine...
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TWATS XI (Mortons Steak House - Hong Kong, Kowloon): Bad? Wet cardboard. Damp, black, but hey a nice finish. Smokey oak, pie cherry fruit, light oak. Old but color say I am OK. Almost faulty. No back palate
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Cork in perfect condition. Decanted 2 hours. Slightly smoky nose with plenty of fruit. Wine a vibrant ruby colour. Palate surprisingly young and fresh with little signs of age (for a 14 year old wine); just well integrated tannins and a lovely long finish. Superb, with plenty of life left.
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1st Oct 2010: decanted for 15min before consuming....though still a decent shiraz, it seems to have lost some of it's body. i should begin consuming the rest of the case before too long.
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1st Oct 2010: decanted for 15mins before consuming. After storage for over 10years, this shiraz is still very drinkable. however, it seems to have lost its body over the years. I will need to consume the rest of the case before long.
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Decanted one hour. The tannins are well integrated and the flavors of blueberry and cherry have good purity and are displayed nicely. This could round out nicely over the next three to five years.
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2 Oct 2009: after decanting for 20mins, the colour was ruby, typical of this wine, there were enough legs to show it's age, the nose was peppery and a little spicy, on the palette the wine was balanced and full of fruit though the finish did show some age...but overall, this is a really good wine though it demonstrated more fruit and boldness when it was younger...
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2000 (Alio's, Surrey Hills): [cork, 14%] This is a patrician, majestic wine. At this youthful stage of its life, the lavish, velvety ripe-red fruit predominates on the nose. The palate is an exercise in controlled power, the powdery tannins packed tight into a bed of rich elemental fruit. A long even palate; the balance is a joy to behold, but the rest of the wine is not interested. Drinkable now, but only as an academic exercise; this wine is all about potential. Two bottles, no noticeable differences between them. This really needs to sleep for another twenty years to reveal all it has to offer.
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22nd November 2008: it was decanted for about 30mins or so...the nose was smokey...the wine on the palette was still a little bold and full but a little alcoholic...still enjoyable...
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds 96-98 +ring-ins (Alio's, Surry Hills): {cork, 14%} The St Henri is a clear ruby colour. Absurdly, the nose is still youthful, lush with spicy velvety fruit, of a more darkly burnished character than the preceding wine. It’s a multi-layered bouquet, reeking of sophistication. On the palate, this lavishly rich fruit is infused with dust and charcoal, the warm texture easily supported by medium dusty tannins. Full-bodied but not overblown. Unobtrusive acidity prevents flabbiness, the balance is wonderfully even right to the back palate, and the finish is long and polished. The only thing this wine lacks is about another 15 years of bottle age. Stunning stuff, and a hard act to follow.
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NobleRottersSydney - Old Penfolds night (Guillaume at Bennelong): {cork, 14%} My word, this is a rich, luscious mouthful of wine. Concentrated ripe berry fruit and fine but powerful furry tannins combine to form a medium-full bodied wine that positively slathers the palate oh-so-evenly with fruit-driven flavours. It’s not a monster, or over-ripe, just a magnificently balanced rich old-style red. Oak presence is only via tannins, not overt woody aromas. This wine has barely softened since release it seems, and although I’m enthusiastic, that’s more for what the wine will undoubtedly become, rather than what it is now. Interesting evolved development is still some way down the track here; impressive as the fruit is now, the real joys of this wine are some way off yet.
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NobleRottersSydney - Old Penfolds & 2001 Bin releases (Lucio's, Paddington): Deep red. Another pure fruit nose, which lacks the development of the 90, but otherwise represents a parallel tasting experience. Not a blockbuster in terms of weight, but the wonderful balance carries across into a long rich finish. Not ready for drinking – or at least, not ready to reveal more than about 30% of its potential at this stage.
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds premiums 86-96 (Darling Mills, Glebe): Glowing deep red. This is a stunning wine. A radiant nose of plums and ripe black cherries. A rich chocolatey, spicy intensity is present on the palate, with lots of furry grape tannins and a lovely contribution from some spinal acid. The components are all there, but they are undeniably all over the place. It’s vital not to touch good vintages of St Henri for 10 years. This is another wine which is only revealing a fraction of it’s potential at the moment - when these components come together this wine will really sing. The long finish is the giveaway, this is a wine to keep. Just beautiful.
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Full dark ruby turning garnet colour. Forward, rounded fruit nose with leather, dried currant and earthy, mushroom notes. Full and plush with good structure and replays. Long finish.
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4/9/2023 - mphatic wrote:
Cork, 14% alc. Signed by Penfolds winemaker, Peter Taylor. Auction purchase in the early 2000s.
Medium garnet/ pale ruby. Some bricking.
Level into neck. Cork damp all through, and completely disintegrated upon opening with an Ah-So. minimal ullage.
Sweet, damp earth, cherry, blueberry, leather, licorice, light soy sauce. Hewn oak.
Tannins largely resolved, slightly grainy. Savoury and dusty palate with dried sour edged fruit. Acidic line. Losing some fruit, and likely over the crest, but still life left. A bottle by bottle proposition at this age.
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5/19/2021 - brisbane piefan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Probably not going to improve much from here. Nice aged red. Minimal ullage, cork came out in one piece successfully. Moderate bricking. Fruit fading slightly with some smoky cigar box notes coming through.
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4/4/2021 - graemeg wrote:
{cork, 14%} Aging, bricking note to the colour. Decanted off a fair amount of sediment. Cork half damp, ullage fine. Nose a bit acetic, leathery. All very tertiary. Palate is very advanced, a bit ‘generic old wine’, with leather and rotting fruit, aged strawberries, maybe. Trembly acidity, faded tannins. Medium weight, with a medium length but not very seductive finish. On this instance, on the downslope.
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11/12/2020 - willmark wrote: 88 Points
12th Nob 2020: on its last legs, will not improve any further...drink up remaining bottles!
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8/1/2020 - fizz wrote:
Level in to the neck. Cork barely soaked.
Dark garnet. Black fruits and a touch of spice on the nose. Elegant and refined palate, integrated tannins are in the background. There’s so much to like here. It builds in the glass and seems to gain momentum over a few hours. This bottle was singing.
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4/18/2020 - Samlcc wrote: 95 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish.
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1/6/2020 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very smooth and subtle; mild, sweet fruit; excellent finish.
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10/10/2019 - jeffbrod Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely wine. Plenty of life left in this but I'd drink it now.
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7/19/2019 - willmark wrote: 95 Points
19th July 2019
Decanted for 30mins; didn’t take long to open and breathe.
Colour is dark, no sign of age...but not big in fruits either...wine comes across as very balanced, aged well over the years...very elegant finish....still can cellar for a few more years..
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11/10/2018 - Bing57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Remarkably fresh, bright and vibrant. Some real depth of savoury and sawdust notes under the fruit, dark berry of course. Heavy sediment - decanting vital. Shame I only had one.
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10/13/2018 - fizz wrote:
55th TWIGS Tasting (Villa Chang): Cork. 14% alc.
Dark garnet centre. Lovely bouquet - sweet black and blue fruits, dried herbs. It's an elegant wine in the mouth, with fine, integrating, soft tannins providing just enough structure for the harmonious, mid-weighted palate to flow to a long finish. There are developed characters coming out in the wine. It's in a nice spot right now.
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8/25/2018 - fizz wrote:
Level in to the neck. Cork only 1/3 soaked.
Fruit fading but still present, with lovely developed nuances. Lots of interest in the medium, resolved palate. Lovey drinking.
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12/25/2017 - willmark Likes this wine: 88 Points
25th Dec 2017
Beginning to show its age...still enjoyable though but is a clear second when followed with the 1998 vintage...
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12/6/2017 - fizz wrote:
Another bottle in super condition. Balance of primary and secondary aromas and flavours, with an elegant, harmonious medium weight palate. There's some depth here, and some complexities - nothing sticking out though. Black fruits, leather, hint of pepper. Tannins are fine and almost completely resolved. It's drinking wonderfully well.
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6/27/2017 - fizz wrote:
Decanted 30 minutes. Perfect cork. Colour again showed minimal bricking, with a deep garnet centre. Delicate nose, plum, blue fruits overlain with wild herbs and a hint of anise. It's a wine of elegance and finesse. Tannins resolved, everything harmonious. The finish is soft and with reasonable length. Peaking now.
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6/10/2017 - fizz wrote: 92 Points
Perfect cork. Minimal ullage. Garnet, with no bricking. Black fruits still present, but now showing mellowed flavours. Lovely balance here, with mid weighted intensity and a refined finish. Too easy to drink with no thought given to it's age! The lack of complexity overshadowed by the sophistication.
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4/29/2017 - willmark wrote: 88 Points
29th April 2017
Decantered 30 mins
Colour has brown hues reflecting its age; was concerned that we had cellared this wine past it drink by age. The nose however was very inviting; hints of sweetness, berries and cassis. The wine began to open up the longer it decantered. It is very balanced. The finish unfortunately was a little dry and short. Though Penfolds have informed me these 1996 can continue to cellar well another decade, am really concerned about the longevity of the remaining bottles.
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4/29/2017 - graemeg wrote:
{cork, 14%} From my cellar, decanted just prior to drinking. Excellent-looking cork, a heap of sediment encrusted on the bottle; very little in the wine. Some bricking to the garnet colour. Aged and even slightly tired nose; leathery old red flavours, a touch of mustiness perhaps. No TCA though. Slightly raisin-like quality to the flavours; blackberry maybe, not much tar. Medium-bodied, with low/medium dusty tannins, little obvious oak, medium acid. Good balance along the tongue, and medium/long finish dry, not too astringent. This was good, if seemingly a bit below expectation. On this sample you'd say drink up, but I've had better examples recently, so it's a crap-shoot nowadays.
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2/26/2017 - G.M. wrote: 93 Points
Perfectly ripened, sweet red and dark fruit mingled with developing complexity. Intense and lengthy. Satisfying. Excellent vintage of one of Penfolds better valued wines. Yet to hit its peak. (93 Excellent wine)
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9/28/2016 - felixp wrote: 86 Points
yea well, I guess this is a well made, clean and true to form kinda wine, but oh so boring. Excitement factor zero.
Hang on for another decade and hope for a miracle.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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7/5/2016 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - 1996 night (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14%} {Greg} Decanted at table. Rich, developing nose of dark blackberry fruits, plums; it really is intense with a real red depth to it. The palate is gorgeous; intense, alive with structural dusty tannins and medium/high acid; it doesn’t miss the oak at all, such is the tightly-bound purity of the red shiraz fruit, walking a perfect line between sweet and savoury. It’s not without a tobacco-like hint of age either. Medium-bodied, maybe just a little more, but I thinks that’s subjectively because it all hangs together so beautifully. Best example of this wine I’ve had so far, and on this tasting, has years ahead of it still.
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6/12/2016 - chatters wrote:
jammy black fruit cherry voer berry, vanilla, chocolate. Slight mustiness, quite, thick and dense black fruit, very slight Ribena, plain chocolate, talc textured tannins that are drying but doesn't dominate the fruit. Long. Fleshy with being too juicy. Very good.
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5/27/2016 - graemeg wrote:
{cork 14%} Garnet with a touch of brick. Surprisingly reticent nose, although it opened up with time. A longer decant would probably have helped; this was done just prior to drinking. The bouquet is prettily floral, with a little spice. The 'little oak' has rarely been so obvious as here. The palate is just medium-bodied, with soft red fruits and only some development evident. Doesn't really seem twenty I must say. But fairly low key, despite the even balance on the palate. Gentle low level tannins, medium acid. Only a medium length finish. Part of me suspects this needs another decade to truly shine. Another part of me is ever-so-slightly disappointed.
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6/5/2015 - Cumberland Likes this wine:
Way past its best. I suspect poorly cellared by others. Dry cork, dirty nose, brown colour out of the bottle, dull and lifeless in the decanter, good mouth feel but no fruit, slight tannins suggesting firmness and structure.
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11/29/2014 - wp_drinkers Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very different to the previous bottle. Cork was in great condition. Nose is a little muted really. With some primary dark fruits and hints of leather. Mouth is interesting. Really quite high acid and plenty of fruit. Tannins well integrated. I wouldn't say the finish is short, but no where near the length of previous bottles. Just goes to show, there aren't great wines, only great bottles.
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7/27/2014 - Button Yang Likes this wine: 94 Points
After that, I could say the St Henri after 2002 are all rubbish.
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6/17/2014 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Drinking really well right now. There's still plenty of blueberry and blood plum fruit coupled with some leather and chocolate development. It is nicely balanced and the ripe fruits are underpinned by minerally acidity. There's a refreshing crispness to the finish and plenty of savoury nuance once the wine is swallowed.
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5/14/2014 - wp_drinkers Likes this wine: 94 Points
This drew an immediate and very expressive ‘ooohhh’ from one of the group and I can understand why. Up-front licorice with some secondary characters of seasoned leather, cedar and earthiness. This was countered by cloves and fennel seed with some slightly porty plum fruit. The palate shows a velvety texture, with rich fruit sweetness (a mélange of red and black fruits), some supporting acid and fine but firm tannins. Medium finish.
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3/24/2014 - Burgundy321 wrote: 96 Points
Very Bordeaux like smooth silky exceptional
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10/23/2013 - AgedGed Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ruby, with edges of browning in decanter. Viscous, good acids and light tannins, nice balance. The fruit is intense, a touch of spice, but it doesn't have much complexity or great finish but still a good drink. Will age, but may not improve much from now.
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8/21/2013 - Blair Curtis wrote: 91 Points
Fun wine. Right after opening, this has some very interesting Rhone-like aromas - more on the tar and rubber side of syrah. But as the wine warms up and takes on air, the nose becomes more typical of Aussie Shiraz, with surmature dark fruit stepping forward. Despite all the action on the nose, the palate remains pleasantly stable showing good structure, nice acid backbone, and ample (but not overblown) fruit. This was excellent, and will continue to age well, I think.
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12/22/2012 - willmark Likes this wine: 88 Points
22nd dec 2012
Decanted for 20mins before serving. This wine was served with a leg of lamb. The colour is a strong ruby red and has very little legs. The nose has a hint of spiciness. The first mouthful a little dry perhaps due to the spiciness but this is still a full bodied wine and has kept it age well. The feel is not as velvety nor the finish as elegant as I remembered of its brethren I savoured several years before but definitely still an enjoyable wine.
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12/1/2012 - willmark Likes this wine: 88 Points
1st Dec 2012
Decantered for 30mins
The color was dark red with no obvious legs; the nose was especially flavorful, strong berries and mild sweetness. The first mouthful was surprisingly enjoyable (as the previous few bottles I tasted displayed its age and past it's peak) with complex fruit and spice; medium bodied and fairly nicely balanced and a dry finish....am intrigued to savor my next bottle sooner rather than later....
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10/6/2012 - willmark Likes this wine: 89 Points
6th Oct 2012:
kicked off the dinner with this wine and followed up with a Cyril Henschke CabSav 1996.
Decantered for 20mins.
The colour is red with a hint of brown; not many legs. This wine though still nice seem to age much faster than i anticipated. The nose is less aromatic with every bottle i consume and leads me to believe that i should accelerate my consumption rate less it speeds past its 'best by' date sooner than expected.
there is a lack of freshness and the age of the wine is apparent not that it has become more balanced but that you know it has aged...
Nonetheless, still a good wine.....
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1/29/2012 - AndrewCowley wrote: 92 Points
Wow, seemed youthful still. Just the right balance of fruit and oak. Very very good.
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12/28/2011 - willmark Likes this wine: 90 Points
28th Dec 2011
decanted for 20mins. this wine was preceded by a Cloudy Bay Pinot. The St. Henri, the colour being less red and intense perhaps showing its age with a brown tinge and typical of a shiraz was spicy, peppery. It is still an enjoyable wine.
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12/17/2011 - graemeg wrote:
{cork, 14%} After cabernet & pinot, faculties aren't in top shape to analyse this... but the inherent greatness of this wine still shines through. Decanted for sediment just prior to drinking. Rich, ripe shiraz; pure and dense but not gloopy or artificial; it smells of blackcurrants, plums, liquorice, chocolate. Finely graduated tannins of medium weight, unobtrusive acid, and medium-full bodied weight all combine in a great vinous package. Does pick up a quasi-jammy sweetness as it sits in the glass. Astounding finish of great length and balance, dry yet sweetly-fruited; a grand testament to the greatness of the 96 vintage. This ought to improve for another 15 years at least, and be drinkable for 30, I reckon. Decent-looking cork did the job well enough. A great wine.
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12/10/2011 - Avid Wino wrote: 95 Points
At its best after four hours in the decanter, and beyond that, I can't say, as it was all gone. After four had settled, smoothed, and unwound. All about the fruit, though elegance and pure ripe flavours more than power. Beautiful dark berries, mostly blueberry. Superb balance and structure. Chalky tannins. Exceptionally long finish. Earlier in its decant was still outstanding, albeit more rich, intense and peppery. Hope I get to try this again in five, ten, perhaps even fifteen and twenty years from now. Will only get better, I think. 95+
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12/9/2011 - willmark wrote: 86 Points
9th Dec 2011:
prior to having this wine, we had a barrolo, a greenock creek shiraz.
decantered the first bottle of St. Henri for about 10-20mins. The colour is intense ruby red and the legs were prominent though there was little if any taste of alcohol. The bouquet was strong with berries and a hint of chocolate. Upon the first taste, the full bodied nature of the wine comes through and this was followed by a spiciness that seems to become stronger with each mouthful. It is still a good wine by any standard though i must confess that i did not enjoy these 2 bottles as much as i did the previous ones.
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10/29/2011 - willmark Likes this wine: 90 Points
29th Oct 2011:
Decantered for 20 mins. Colour was a dark crimson with hardly any legs on the glass. The bouquet was peppery and this was confirmed with the spiciness upon the first mouthful with a long finish. This is a very enjoyable wine and i am looking forward to the next 21 bottles.
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10/3/2011 - cybergod Likes this wine:
Amazingly youthful in both its appearance in the glass and its aromatics and flavours. Intense blueberry on the nose. The palette gushes with fully bodied dark fruit flavours and a smoky finish. Probably more exciting by the glass than by the whole bottle (it's pretty rich and intense), but this is definitely some serious wine...
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8/6/2011 - tplskylrk wrote:
TWATS XI (Mortons Steak House - Hong Kong, Kowloon): Bad? Wet cardboard. Damp, black, but hey a nice finish. Smokey oak, pie cherry fruit, light oak. Old but color say I am OK. Almost faulty. No back palate
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1/5/2011 - jbw07 wrote: 90 Points
Cork in perfect condition. Decanted 2 hours. Slightly smoky nose with plenty of fruit. Wine a vibrant ruby colour. Palate surprisingly young and fresh with little signs of age (for a 14 year old wine); just well integrated tannins and a lovely long finish. Superb, with plenty of life left.
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10/11/2010 - willmark wrote: 88 Points
1st Oct 2010: decanted for 15min before consuming....though still a decent shiraz, it seems to have lost some of it's body. i should begin consuming the rest of the case before too long.
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10/1/2010 - willmark wrote: 88 Points
1st Oct 2010: decanted for 15mins before consuming. After storage for over 10years, this shiraz is still very drinkable. however, it seems to have lost its body over the years. I will need to consume the rest of the case before long.
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6/30/2010 - matthen wrote: 93 Points
Decanted one hour. The tannins are well integrated and the flavors of blueberry and cherry have good purity and are displayed nicely. This could round out nicely over the next three to five years.
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10/2/2009 - willmark wrote: 90 Points
2 Oct 2009: after decanting for 20mins, the colour was ruby, typical of this wine, there were enough legs to show it's age, the nose was peppery and a little spicy, on the palette the wine was balanced and full of fruit though the finish did show some age...but overall, this is a really good wine though it demonstrated more fruit and boldness when it was younger...
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5/4/2009 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2000 (Alio's, Surrey Hills): [cork, 14%] This is a patrician, majestic wine. At this youthful stage of its life, the lavish, velvety ripe-red fruit predominates on the nose. The palate is an exercise in controlled power, the powdery tannins packed tight into a bed of rich elemental fruit. A long even palate; the balance is a joy to behold, but the rest of the wine is not interested. Drinkable now, but only as an academic exercise; this wine is all about potential. Two bottles, no noticeable differences between them. This really needs to sleep for another twenty years to reveal all it has to offer.
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11/22/2008 - willmark wrote: 90 Points
22nd November 2008: it was decanted for about 30mins or so...the nose was smokey...the wine on the palette was still a little bold and full but a little alcoholic...still enjoyable...
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8/6/2007 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds 96-98 +ring-ins (Alio's, Surry Hills): {cork, 14%} The St Henri is a clear ruby colour. Absurdly, the nose is still youthful, lush with spicy velvety fruit, of a more darkly burnished character than the preceding wine. It’s a multi-layered bouquet, reeking of sophistication. On the palate, this lavishly rich fruit is infused with dust and charcoal, the warm texture easily supported by medium dusty tannins. Full-bodied but not overblown. Unobtrusive acidity prevents flabbiness, the balance is wonderfully even right to the back palate, and the finish is long and polished. The only thing this wine lacks is about another 15 years of bottle age. Stunning stuff, and a hard act to follow.
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2/6/2006 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Old Penfolds night (Guillaume at Bennelong): {cork, 14%} My word, this is a rich, luscious mouthful of wine. Concentrated ripe berry fruit and fine but powerful furry tannins combine to form a medium-full bodied wine that positively slathers the palate oh-so-evenly with fruit-driven flavours. It’s not a monster, or over-ripe, just a magnificently balanced rich old-style red. Oak presence is only via tannins, not overt woody aromas. This wine has barely softened since release it seems, and although I’m enthusiastic, that’s more for what the wine will undoubtedly become, rather than what it is now. Interesting evolved development is still some way down the track here; impressive as the fruit is now, the real joys of this wine are some way off yet.
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2/2/2004 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Old Penfolds & 2001 Bin releases (Lucio's, Paddington): Deep red. Another pure fruit nose, which lacks the development of the 90, but otherwise represents a parallel tasting experience. Not a blockbuster in terms of weight, but the wonderful balance carries across into a long rich finish. Not ready for drinking – or at least, not ready to reveal more than about 30% of its potential at this stage.
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2/4/2002 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds premiums 86-96 (Darling Mills, Glebe): Glowing deep red. This is a stunning wine. A radiant nose of plums and ripe black cherries. A rich chocolatey, spicy intensity is present on the palate, with lots of furry grape tannins and a lovely contribution from some spinal acid. The components are all there, but they are undeniably all over the place. It’s vital not to touch good vintages of St Henri for 10 years. This is another wine which is only revealing a fraction of it’s potential at the moment - when these components come together this wine will really sing. The long finish is the giveaway, this is a wine to keep. Just beautiful.
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12/5/2000 - Double-A Likes this wine:
Full dark ruby turning garnet colour. Forward, rounded fruit nose with leather, dried currant and earthy, mushroom notes. Full and plush with good structure and replays. Long finish.
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