- 97
2012 Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz
South Australia,
AUSTRALIA
$89. 99
Bottle
$1079.88 Dozen
Cellar: 10 - 12 Years (2025-2027)
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Stelvin
First released in 1957 St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It sees no new oak and is matured in 50 year old plus large oak vats for 13 months that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal oak character. Although a small proportion of Cabernet is sometimes used to improve structure, the focal point for St Henri remains Shiraz.
A blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Magnificent midnight black colour with a deep very dark crimson red black hue. Perfumed notes of liquorice, blackberry and black cherry overlay some lightly toasted vanillin oak and black olive with blackpepper end notes. Full bodied with excellent richness, yet light on its feet the palate boasts tremendous power with generous flavours of liquorice, ripe blackberries and black cherries followed by some subtle smoky vanillin cedar, a touch of meatiness and blackpepper. Plushly textured with a dry finish and very fine grained tannins that a have a sturdy robust feel and provide the required support base. Long aftertaste of liquorice, ripe blackberry, black cherry, vanillin cedar, delicate smoky black olive and pepper.
Cellar 10-12 years.
Alc. 14.5%
The 2012 Shiraz St Henri is very impressive with its elegant, sophisticated and well-crafted expression of this superb vintage. As always, there is no new oak employed here, simply 50+ year old large oak vats. This vintage has a dollop (3%) Cabernet Sauvignon, contributing a lovely cassis lift to the heady perfume. Deep garnet-purple colored, it displays a gorgeous nose of commendable purity and intensity with notes of red and blackcurrants, freshly crushed blackberries, menthol, cinnamon stick, bacon fat and cloves. Rich and already expressive on the palate, it is nonetheless built for the long haul with firm, ripe and grainy tannins carrying the fruit to a long and layered finish. This should be a long-lived St Henri that should cellar gracefully for at least 2 decades.
96+ points
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
A blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Magnificent midnight black colour with a deep very dark crimson red black hue. Perfumed notes of liquorice, blackberry and black cherry overlay some lightly toasted vanillin oak and black olive with blackpepper end notes. Full bodied with excellent richness, yet light on its feet the palate boasts tremendous power with generous flavours of liquorice, ripe blackberries and black cherries followed by some subtle smoky vanillin cedar, a touch of meatiness and blackpepper. Plushly textured with a dry finish and very fine grained tannins that a have a sturdy robust feel and provide the required support base. Long aftertaste of liquorice, ripe blackberry, black cherry, vanillin cedar, delicate smoky black olive and pepper.
Cellar 10-12 years.
Alc. 14.5%
Other Reviews….
The 2012 Shiraz St Henri is very impressive with its elegant, sophisticated and well-crafted expression of this superb vintage. As always, there is no new oak employed here, simply 50+ year old large oak vats. This vintage has a dollop (3%) Cabernet Sauvignon, contributing a lovely cassis lift to the heady perfume. Deep garnet-purple colored, it displays a gorgeous nose of commendable purity and intensity with notes of red and blackcurrants, freshly crushed blackberries, menthol, cinnamon stick, bacon fat and cloves. Rich and already expressive on the palate, it is nonetheless built for the long haul with firm, ripe and grainy tannins carrying the fruit to a long and layered finish. This should be a long-lived St Henri that should cellar gracefully for at least 2 decades.
96+ points
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate