Max Schubert made his first experimental Grange in 1951, John Davoren following suit with St Henri in 1953. Schubert presided at Magill, Davoren at Auldana (both in Adelaide) from 1947. In the first (1973) edition of his Australia and New Zealand Complete Book of Wine, Len Evans wrote that St Henri was one of the two top Penfolds’ wines and certainly one of the most celebrated wines in Australia. He went on to say that at the end of the 1960s, St Henri was more expensive than Grange: “Now, since it sells for the same price as Grange, the buyer has to decide on his [sic] preference.” Evans professed a preference for the style of Grange, but said St Henris “are a lighter, perhaps more elegant style and they need understanding”. This style dichotomy continues to this day. “St Henri is an outlier in the Penfolds red stable, and proudly so,” says Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago. The wine has never been advertised, and never entered in wine shows.
Schubert and Davoren were fully aware of the differences, each making it clear they had no intention of narrowing the gap, either in terms of fruit source or vinification, especially the choice and use of oak. The idea they were at daggers-drawn is fanciful; they were in fact great friends.
The abiding character of St Henri is its longevity, particularly in the context of better vintages. It has none of the make-up of new American oak that can hide the imperfections of a lesser vintage. It’s matured in large, old vats, eschewing the partial use of two-year-old Grange barrels in early vintages.
I have participated in five Penfolds Rewards of Patience events, thus tasting every vintage since 1958 more than once. While the vinification has effectively remained the same, the quality since 1990 has improved out of sight, reflecting the ever-increasing access to top quality fruit.
2016 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz
Perfect colour, deep crimson-purple. First tasted 15 months ago, and while retaining its full-bodied frame, its tannins have just started to soften, allowing its deep well of black fruits to share centre stage. This leads to a very well balanced and long finish, with the promise of elegance as further time goes by. 14.5% alc, screwcap 96 points, drink to 2040, $135
2010 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz
Exceptional colour, the hue little different to that of the ’16. The deeply resonant bouquet of black fruits, plum and licorice introduces a full-bodied, richly layered palate, the tannins pitched in the perfect balance typical of a classic St Henri from a top vintage. 14.5% alc, screwcap 97 points, drink to 2040, $182*
1990 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz
Recorked at the Penfolds clinic in December 2005. Leather, earth and spice nuances gently surround the still-sweet dark berry/plum fruit on the bouquet and palate alike. The tannins are soft, with the hard edge of youth no longer present. This wine is at its peak, and showing no sign of fading away. 13.5% alc, cork 97 points, drink to 2030, $228*
* Prices from recent Langton’s auctions
