Penfolds, St. Henri Shiraz, 2023
Penfolds, St. Henri Shiraz, 2023
- 75cl
- 14.5%
- Red Still
- Shiraz
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Drinking window: 2026 - 2050
Est. delivery in 2027
St. Henri is Penfolds' great contrarian. While Grange gets the headlines with its procession of new American oak, St. Henri has always done things differently — aged in large, old vats that let the fruit and the wine's natural structure do the talking. First made in the late 1950s, it draws on Shiraz from across South Australia, blending vineyards from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, and beyond into something that feels less like a monument and more like a very serious, very composed red that earns its reputation quietly.
What the critics say:
"Straight on the first aromatics you get a punch of violet flowers and cherry bud, earthy, fragrant, long lasting, love this sweet charred raspberry puree that expands through the palate. Peter Gago winemaker, Tom King director."
"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."
"St Henri is the only top Penfolds red that doesn't rely on new oak, instead spending 12 months in large, seasoned oak vats. This no doubt contributes to its approachability in youth, which is even more evident in this appealing vintage. Harmonious and detailed aromas of freshly crushed black and blue fruits, with a meaty savouriness, herbal wafts and ironstone minerality, lead to a generous and open palate. Light on its feet, with finely wrought tannins and a persistent core of pitch-black fruit, adorned with an umami savouriness, gravelly minerality and spicy notes of star anise, liquorice and black tea. Fruit sourced from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Frankland River and Port Lincoln."
St. Henri is a multi-regional blend, drawing on Shiraz from across South Australia — primarily the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, with contributions from other sub-regions depending on the vintage. The Barossa brings depth and dark fruit from its old-vine alluvial soils, while McLaren Vale adds ironstone-influenced earthiness and Mediterranean warmth. Rather than a single site's expression, St. Henri's character comes from the winemaking philosophy: old, large vats that avoid the imprint of new oak and allow the fruit and natural tannin structure of each component to integrate into something coherent and genuinely complex.
South Australia is the engine room of Australian fine wine, home to the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, and Clare Valley among others. As a country-of-origin designation, it allows blending across these sub-regions — something Penfolds has always embraced as a strength rather than a compromise. There are no strict appellation rules in the European sense; the GI (Geographical Indication) system simply defines origin rather than grape variety or winemaking method. That freedom is exactly what has allowed St. Henri to evolve on its own terms for nearly seventy years.
The 2023 vintage in South Australia caught many producers off guard with its sheer abundance. After several years of smaller crops, the vines delivered yields that had some winemakers scrambling for tank space come February. A relatively cool, wet spring set the stage for healthy canopies, while the summer heat arrived in manageable waves rather than the punishing blocks that can shut down ripening altogether. We find ourselves with wines that show the kind of freshness that seemed harder to capture in recent memory.
What emerged from those busy cellars feels like a return to form for the region's signature varieties. The Shiraz shows genuine spice and pepper rather than jammy sweetness, with tannins that grip without clenching. Grenache positively sings with red fruit clarity, while the Cabernet Sauvignon displays that lovely cassis purity that made South Australia famous in the first place. Most of these wines are drinking beautifully now, though the better Barossa and McLaren Vale reds will reward patience until 2030 and beyond.
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