Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri South Australia 2017
South Australia · Syrah (Shiraz) · red
About this wine
PENFOLDS!!! Their 97 POINT St. Henri bottling is the brand’s counterpoint to their flagship “Grange”. All of the prestige, and one of the world’s best expressions of Syrah...minus the new oak influence. Purists! Aussie lovers! Syrah, and Shiraz enthusiasts the world over – you…are…not…READY! PENFOLDS is here! The Big Cheese, the Top Boss, the big Grand Poobah of Australian wine – and one of the greatest producers in the entire world…HERE! Now! Huzzah! You’ve surely heard of Grange – their flagship Shiraz (usually with a dash of Cab) that has made them the Land Down Under’s First Growth champion. Maybe a handful of you have even tasted it – in all of its lacquered, tongue-staining, spine-tightening glory! Welp, I’m lucky enough to have tasted Grange side-by-side with this bottling of St. Henri…and I can say – without my prototypical ebullious flair or any modicum of hyperbole – I’ll take THIS…every single time! It’s not that it is a better wine, per se…just different. Grange is beastly, shellacked with oak influence and a veritable spice-box of unapologetically bold, barrel-driven flavors. It’s delicious – no question – but I LOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVEEE me some Syrah/Shiraz. St. Henri is soooo pure, so wild and unhindered – as evocative as it is mysterious, with TONS of fruit, and plenty of spice – just in more of that wild garrigue and fresh herbs from the garden sort of way. It’s floral, and infused with violets, and cherry kirsch, but also this smoky/beefy/bacon fat savageness that makes for truly EPIC Syrah/Shiraz unforgettable! And hey…97 POINTS is just the cherry on top!!! 50-YEAR-OLD plus large oak casks hold the wine for a mere 12 months – just enough to polish the tannins into a honed and razor-sharp spear of vinous delight! The torrefaction of careful winemaking gives this a fresh-roasted coffee bean aura, with salt-brined black olives tickling your tongue the second it hits the palate. But cool, bright red fruits and a tingly demeanor drive this ever onward, with pomegranates and red currants lingering long after each and every sip – both teasing you and dragging you towards the next eager gulp, until every last drop is done and dusted! It finishes cleaner than a perfect sweep in Olympic curling – and the same heartfelt warmth settles into your soul for just as long. This is vibrantly youthful for coming up on a decade – and another 20+ years are clearly within reach. I don’t think I can wait that long myself – I’m already dreaming of the roasted and braised leg of lamb that I’m going to serve this with over Easter. Under $100 is an absolute steal for what must surely be a TOP 10 Shiraz/Syrah in the entire universe – and with FREE SHIPPING on every order…you’d be wise to get as many as you possibly can, as quickly as you can! While it lasts!
Wine details
- Producer
- Penfolds
- Vintage
- 2017
- Region
- South Australia
- Varietal
- Syrah (Shiraz)
- Blend
- 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Color
- red
- Winemaker
- Peter Gago
- Alcohol
- 14.5
- Last Bottle price
- $97
- Retail price (estimate)
- $180
- Wine-Searcher average
- $108
- CellarTracker score
- 93 (34 reviews)
- Critic score
- 97 — Falstaff