2023 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz

Other Reviews……
Not the easiest of vintages, 2023 was cool and wet. This might explain the arrival of a new region to the St. Henri blend: Frankland River. It joins Port Lincoln and regulars McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Padthaway in what must have been a busy blending exercise. Keeps true to the style in warmth of personality. A deeply coloured wine with intense blackberry, plum, briar, earth, leather aromas. The texture is striking, layered in deep pile, fine tannins and tiers of ripe black fruits, spices that lift, notes of chocolate and earth and a clean, smooth run through to the finish. A challenging vintage once again proves the value of Penfolds multi-regional blending philosophy and turns out an impressive St. Henri. Drink 2026-2051.
97 Points
Jeni Port – WinePilot.com

A very strong release for this classic Australian wine with a strong cellaring pedigree. Deep crimson in the glass with a purple edge and fruit tones of black cherry, satsuma plum, blueberry, and blackberry. Hints of brown spice, minerals, crushed herbs, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate-dipped cherries, black tea, roast meats and earth. There's a succulence and intensity to this year's release that is infectious; those enticing characters slowly shape-shift into something more savoury and vital at its core. The structure and fruit density suggest longevity is a given, along with balance and grace to boot. These are very good characters indeed. What a cracker. Drink by 2050.
97 Points
Dave Brookes - James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion

The 2023 St. Henri Shiraz was sourced from McLaren Vale (55%), Barossa Valley (21%), Frankland River (8%) and the balance from Port Lincoln and Padthaway. 2023 is the first time that Shiraz was sourced from Frankland River for the St. Henri, and this is significant, given it is Western Australia, when most of the fruit for the cuvées traditionally are sourced from the eastern states. To lend this comment context: 2023 was a cooler, wetter season in Barossa, a cooler season in McLaren Vale, and yet over in the west, it has shaped up to be one of the very best, most balanced, most energetic vintages in recent memory. So here, the 2023 St. Henri Shiraz is silky and fine, balanced and herbal, with star anise and shaved fennel, raspberry, milk chocolate, violets and freshness. It is really excellent. These current St. Henri's are very different in style to the early iterations of the cuvée, yet they manage to express a similar effortlessness and ease. I would say, on balance, that the alcohols are higher than the wines from the 1980s and before, yet the tannins are very polished and cleverly managed. I think this serves to set them apart or, at least, to create two schools of stylistic thinking—I am, for what it's worth, a fan of both. It matured for 12 months in large-format seasoned oak vats. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. Drink 2026-2053.
96 Points
Erin Larkin – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate