Winemaker Notes
On the nose, the wine shows fragrant scents of praline and dark chocolate immediately conveyed, followed by blackberry, powdered violet & lavender (talc). Beneath, fresh green tobacco and lively spices, cold meats / pan juices fuse together. The result: a youthful, benchmark St Henri aromatic package. The entry on the mouth shows a medium-bodied and relatively 'elegant' feel. A palate stand-off / divide - Kirsch and dark fruits versus pomegranate / cranberry & dessicated Chinese plums. Cold meat flavours - corned beef or poached silverside? Powdery savoury tannins... Polished.
Serve with pork, cauliflower cream, confit turnip, morcilla, fennel seed and spiced quince puree.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Blended of 89% Shiraz and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 St Henri Shiraz is a blend of 5 different South Australia sub-regions spanning from Robe to Clare Valley. Never seeing new oak, this vintage was aged 15 months in seasoned 1460 liter vats. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it has a purely fruited nose giving notes of intense cassis, crushed blackberries, some kirsch, black pepper, baking spices and cloves. Full, rich and concentrated, it’s still a bit taut with very crisp acid and firm finely textured tannins, giving a long berry laced finish. Consider drinking it from 2013 to 2025+
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Wine Spectator
Supple and generous, delivering a plush mouthful of vibrant blueberry, plum and wet earth flavors that play against a distinct minerality. The vivid finish hints at tea leaf. Drink now through 2018.
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. Their success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers. It began with Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold, the pioneers who dreamed big, inventing tonics, brandies, and fortified wines made from grapes and Australian sunshine. It continued with celebrated winemaking legends including Max Schubert, who pushed the development to extraordinary, bold new heights. It is this pioneering spirit and curiosity that still rings true after nearly two centuries, it is what has helped Penfolds become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today.
Though Syrah originated in the Rhône Valley of France, Australia is home to the oldest Syrah (called Shiraz here) vines on the planet. Found in Australia’s Barossa Valley, where phylloxera has never threated viticulture, these ancient vines are between 140 to 175 years old!
Having brought fame and merit to the country’s wine scene since the early 1950s, namely via the debut of Penfolds Grange, today Syrah (Shiraz) claims rank as the most widely planted grape in Australia. In fact, the amount of land dedicated to Shiraz in Australia is now almost equivalent to what it is in France. Australian Shiraz has its own personality with flavors and aromas of intense blackberry, fruitcake, menthol, tobacco leaf and umami. Conveniently one can find great Australian Shiraz at a variety of price points but the very best will be dense, gloriously complex and capable of long aging.