Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2022
- 95
- $135
- Drink by: 2025-2045
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This is certainly a very fine St Henri, although unlikely to sit with the absolute greats. Maturation is a very different regime from the usual Penfolds modus operandi, with the wine spending time in very large format, very old oak, meaning the oak influence is minimal at best. This release saw fourteen months maturation. 96% Shiraz with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruit is sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Padthaway – again, no Clare material, although there is no Clare reason why. The colour is a vibrant yet near black/purple. As much as any wine in the Collection, this one did step up with time in the glass to reveal hidden layers. We have a range of aromas through dried herbs, chocolate, aniseed, cloves, black and red berries, plums, tobacco leaves and cassis. There is a juiciness to the palate and those aniseed notes really start to come forth. The wine finishes with notes of sour cherries. There is very good length here, along with balance and intensity, sleek tannins and a lingering finish. This is perhaps a little more powerful than some recent St Henri releases at this early stage and there is certainly room for the wine to improve even further. It will provide pleasure for at least twenty years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
