Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz 2021

Penfold's senior winemaker Steph Dutton says, "the 2021 St Henri Shiraz presents its credentials with an aromatic finesse that demands contemplation."  It's the thinking person's Shiraz. There's never a lick of new oak in the Penfolds St Henri Shiraz. With just a delicate swirl, aromas emerge with wafts of raspberry liquorice entwined with white chocolate. Freshly ground nutmeg and toasted fennel seeds interlace with spiced apple pie. The 2021 release is grown only in the premium regions of McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley consisting of 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon for for 12 months in large old oak vats. Showcasing the fruit and spice rather than oak.

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 hasn’t 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.