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2020 St Henri Shiraz
Australian Release

2020 St Henri Shiraz

Sale price$150
/ 750 mL

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This wine is imported from Australia. State import laws allow us to ship this wine to the following states: AK, CA, DC, FL, MA, MN, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OR, SC, TN, WV, and WI.

Overview

St Henri is a favorite among collectors with its proven style, elegant profile and aging potential. It is unusual amongst high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on any new oak.  In the 2020 release, explore a sweet and savory palate – fresh blueberry, exotic spice and olive brine. A classic St Henri.
2020 St Henri Shiraz
2020 St Henri Shiraz Sale price$150

Awards & Accolades

19+/20

Matthew Jukes

"This is an awesome and statuesque St Henri with commanding tannins and a glossy, succulent indulgent and luxurious feel throughout. It has incredible weight and stunning balance and ripeness. I worry that people will drink it the moment it arrives on their doorstep because the fruit is so darned luxurious, but I can imagine that it will run for decades such is the class on display here. Drink 2025 – 2050. 14.5% alc."

96

Andrew Caillard, MW

"Deep crimson. Fragrant inky, blackberry, graphite aromas with hints of roasted walnut, spice. Complex and evolved with blackberry, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, chinotto flavours fine loose knit lacy chalky firm tannins, and underlying graphite, walnut notes. Finishes claret firm and tight. A refined style with lovely complexity and mineral length. Should develop very well. 100% Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, 12 months maturation in large seasoned oak vats. Drink 2025 — 2040. 14.5% alc"

2020 St Henri Shiraz

Taste Description

PALATE

True to form, the palate is quite savoury. Japanese nori paper and olive brine offer a very morish umami nuance. Fresh blueberry and mulberry leaf anchor the core of the mid-palate. Exotic spices adding intrigue, Alleppey turmeric, toasted cumin, pimento. The tannins are very tactile, comparable to Dutch cocoa. A classic St Henri that will reward extended time in the cellar.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

The 2019 calendar year was the driest on record in the Barossa Valley, while the Clare Valley had the driest winter in 120 years. Clare Valley and Barossa Valley experienced frosts in September that also reduced yields. October was windy in Clare Valley which challenged fruit-set. The beginning of summer was marked by a state-wide heatwave. Cooler conditions in January and February provided some much welcome relief. McLaren Vale had above average rainfall in February, which ensured the vines were able to finish the remainder of the season in good shape. Bunch weights and berry numbers were low across the three regions with yields significantly below average. As is often the case, adversity and low yields can produce outstanding quality, and 2020 was no exception.

The Story of St Henri

The first vintage of St Henri – then Auldana Cellars St Henri Claret – was produced in 1888, beginning one of the most famous and enduring names in Australian wine. It was likely named after Auldana’s winemaker Léon Edmond Mazure’s son Henri or his wife, Philomine Henriette. The wine immediately enjoyed success, winning the Championship Cup for Best Claret in Australia at the Adelaide Wine Show in 1890 and then again as a joint winner in 1891. The St Henri label disappeared somewhere around the beginning of World War 1. It was revived by Senior Red Winemaker John Davoren at Penfolds in 1953 to celebrate the centenary of Auldana Cellars. The 1957 vintage is officially recognised as the first St Henri commercial release under the Penfolds name. It gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood.