Wine Notes
Penfolds are one of the most recognisable names in Australian wine with a vast portfolio that is ever expanding. A little surprisingly they have managed to retain and even increase their reputation for exceptionally high quality fine wines and the St Henri Shiraz is always highly rated. However, it isnโt the most well-known or sought after of the fine wines and is a bit of a dark horse in style. Unlike a lot of Australian Shiraz the St Henri is aged in large, old vats that impart little oak flavour allowing a clearer and more nuanced expression of Shiraz from this region. 2008 was the best recent year for this wine with full fruit, liquorice and smoke with strong peppery heat.
Producer Notes
Penfolds has a much better reputation for quality than its former parent company, Fosters. The company is still part of a AUD 5bn turnover drinks group but focus on quality has not deteriorated, in fact it has improved further in the last few years. From a quality perspective, Penfolds is the very best large producer in Australia and Grange is still a consistently world-class wine (and rather good value compared to some of its French counterparts). Despite its huge production, Penfolds has developed over the years into a wine company that has been able to satisfy wine-drinkers at entry level prices as well as offer top single vineyard expressions to many international wine collectors at astronomical prices. The main black grape variety grown is Shiraz which is produced as a stand alone wine or blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, giving the red wines more power and weight In recent years, Penfolds has expanded on an enourmous scale, with vineyards planted across the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Penfolds are best known for their red wines, particularly their top, iconic wine โGrangeโ, however, they also produce a variety of white wines from Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Vintage Notes
2008 was a good vintage in South Australia
Other 2008 Barossa Valley
2008 Two Hands Wines Zippys Block Shiraz: ยฃ69
2008 Peter Lehman Stonewell Shiraz: ยฃ95
Other formats of 2008 Penfolds Saint Henri Shiraz
Other vintages of Penfolds Saint Henri Shiraz
Other wines from Penfolds Wines
1991 Penfolds Grange: ยฃ575
1994 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707: ยฃ340
1999 Penfolds Grange: ยฃ350
2000 Penfolds Grange: ยฃ440
2001 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707: ยฃ220
2012 Penfolds Grange: ยฃ600
2013 Penfolds Grange: ยฃ500
2015 Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Bin 389: ยฃ81
2016 Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Bin 389: ยฃ81
2016 Penfolds Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay: ยฃ155
2018 Penfolds Grange: ยฃ570
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