2010 sees premium Australian wine brand Penfolds celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first commercial release of St Henri, one of the pinnacle wines in their Luxury and Icon range. Created as an alter-ego to Grange (Australia’s most famous wine) St Henri embraces the virtues of old cask maturation, a style now very much back in vogue and appreciated by connoisseurs around the globe.
Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker told Foodepedia, ‘The much anticipated 50th anniversary wine of St Henri doesn’t fail to disappoint and continues to enhance its reputation as an alternative Shiraz expression to Grange. 2006 was an outstanding vintage in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, where the grapes for Penfolds St Henri are grown. A hot start to the year quickly followed by milder conditions allowed for excellent flavour and colour development, producing an elegant and polished wine.”
St Henri Shiraz 2006
50 years on from its first commercial vintage, the 2006 St Henri is dominated by Shiraz fruit with a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon added for structure. This vintage is deep, dark red in colour, with aromas of praline, dark chocolate and blackberry, whilst pomegranate, cranberry and desiccated Chinese plums dominate the palate. The 2006 St Henri is also one to keep hold of and wine lovers can expect to enjoy this vintage at its best for at least two decades.
A Legend is Born
The 1950s was an age of exploration and development for Penfolds as the winemaking team embarked in their quest to make an alter-ego to Grange – a wine that was lighter bodied but with intense fruit and an elegant style.
Whilst the first St Henri wine was produced in 1953, it was the 1957 vintage that was officially recognised as the first commercial release of St Henri and despite many advances in winemaking techniques over the years, the overall philosophy of the wine style has not altered. St Henri is still a perfumed, stylish, supremely elegant wine that needs no enhancement with new oak and it is one of those rare wines which will age effortlessly.
Penfolds St Henri has an RRP of £35 and is available from selected retailers including Majestic, Tesco Wine by the Case, Waitrose, Gondola.co.uk, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Selfridges, Harrods and other leading independent wine merchants.
For more information on Penfolds and the 2010 release Luxury & Icon wines, see: www.penfolds.com,portfolio