The 2001 Penfolds St Henri is a smooth, elegant Shiraz that’s all about balance and pure fruit — no flashy oak here. It’s packed with juicy raspberries, subtle earthiness, and soft, polished tannins that make it super approachable. Medium-bodied and silky, this vintage shows why St Henri is a classic alternative to big, bold Aussie reds. Perfect if you want a wine that’s rich and refined without trying too hard.

The Wine Advocate | RP 89
Published: Oct 31, 2005
Drink: 2005-2015

The deep ruby/purple-hued 2001 Shiraz St. Henri offers sweet aromas of raspberries and flowers. This accessible, concentrated, medium-bodied, impeccably-balanced Shiraz possesses excellent fruit as well as background earth and wood notes. Consume it over the next 10 years. 

Penfolds.com

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. Released for the first time by Penfolds in the early 1950s (first commercial vintage 1957), it 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, arthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in old, 1,460 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.

NOSE
Savoury notes first detected, yet quickly courted by generous cherry liqueur/chocolate aromas. Scents of dried beef sit alongside a textbook garrigue deconstruction ? dried herb/oregano/thyme/lavender. Perplexingly, an exotic emission continues ? best guess ? copha, cranberry and activated walnut! Shiraz unplugged? oak or artefact not part of this wine?s demeanour. Smells like? St Henri.

FLAVOURS AND PALATE
A masterclass of texture: plush, glossy, seamless ? abetted by silky, polished tannins. One taster quipped: ?millennial tannins?! Black olive; coffee and mocha flavours abound, as do the generous shiraz fruits sourced from the northern viticultural
reaches of South Australia. Medium-bodied, with a great core and lovely framework ? yet what is sipped fills the mouth so effortlessly. A succulence is immediately noted ? a fruited pomegranate/cranberry/quince paste-induced acidity, balanced with fruit
sweetness. Not trying too hard. St Henri rarely does.