Penfolds, South Austraila, St. Henri, Shiraz 1980

Very top shoulder

Lovers of mature Shiraz will find interest here. Recommend decanting off sediment and aeration of about an hour to see it fully awaken. It held up well over night after transfer to "half bottle" storage. The real education here for Americans is to even see the age curve of older Aussies as most of the imports didn't really hit our shores upon release of the 1994 Australian vintage. It would be equally difficult to find similarly aged Napa Syrah. 

St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual amongst 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, earthy, mocha-like characters with age. It is matured in an assortment of old large vats that allow the wine to develop, imparting minimal, if any oak character. Although a small proportion of cabernet may sneak into the blend, the focal point for St Henri remains shiraz.

Mixed Format Shipping

• Only same formats can ship in same container (750ml with 750ml).
• Marie-Jeanne (2.5L) and above formats require manual shipping invoicing - INQUIRE for pre-purchase Quote
• Supplemental shipping charge may apply for mixed format orders after checkout.
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Most economical quantity to ship

• 6 standard bottles or 12 standard bottles

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