95
Neal Martin - Wine Journal
"Tasted at the “Rewards of Patience” vertical in Berlin. The 2008 St. Henri Shiraz is a blend of 90% Shiraz and 10% Cabernet. Peter Gago said that 90% of Barossa fruit was picked well before 3rd March before the heat wave. Still, it is patently more gregarious, outgoing and voluptuous than the 2007 with copious layers of black cherry, cassis, cedar and just a hint of fresh beetroot. The palate is full-bodied with a dense carapace of primal blackberry and cassis fruit. This is a little monolithic at the moment but it is well balanced and offers great delineation, which renders it controlled and refined on the powerful finish when it could have been overwhelming. Looking back, the 2008 errs towards Bordeaux for inspiration. Once again, this has great potential, but it will need 15-years in bottle. Drink 2024-2045. Tasted June 2012."
94 James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion
"Deep magenta, purple hue; a saturated black fruit wine lies in waiting with a veritable cornucopia of spice and liqueur soaked plums; the ample fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity provide light to the fruit shade; long, sweet-fruited and generous. Shiraz."
93 Josh Raynolds - Vinous Media
"Saturated ruby. Deeply pitched dark berry and cherry aromas are complemented by notes of cola, licorice and mocha, with a vanilla undertone. Plush and expansive, offering sweet blackcurrant and cherry-vanilla flavors that become smokier and spicier with air. Closes with impressive power, gentle tannic grip and sweet persistence."
St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of
Shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual
among high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on
any new oak. It was created in the early 1950s (first commercial
vintage 1957) and gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its
quality and distinctive style became better understood. Proudly,
a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion
or commerce. St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining
soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in
old, 1460 litre vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting
minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion
of Cabernet is sometimes used to improve structure, the focal
point for St Henri remains Shiraz.
- Winery
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