2013 St. Henri Shiraz

Things are getting serious … in an understated St Henri sort of way!

This wine may be initially missed on a busy tasting bench, but once 'properly tasted', never forgotten!

Reminiscent of 2010, 1998 and 1976 St Henri's – statuesque, brooding, complex. Aromatically, 'Old-Style'.

All Penfolds 2013 reds released to date have benefitted from time in bottle. No exception here. But, okay to open and enjoy now.

Oh, and for the next 4+ decades.

Peter Gago, Penfolds chief winemaker

97/100

This 2013 Shiraz St Henri follows in the blockbuster footsteps of the 2010 and 2012. The blend is 96% Shiraz with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and the fruit sources are far and wide, including a real mix of terroirs: McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Padthaway and Port Lincoln. It spent 12 months in 50+-year-old casks.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the youthfully reticent nose is complex, offering loam, aged meat, licorice, tar, scorched earth, fenugreek and cloves over a cherry cordial, blueberry pie and dried mulberries core.

The medium to full-bodied palate reveals lovely, understated elegance and depth with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and many fruit and spice layers emerging on the finish.

This is one for the long-long haul and, at a fraction of the price of Grange, should be where the smart money goes for stocking the cellar.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, www.erobertparker.com, October 2016