2023 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Not the easiest of vintages, 2023 was cool and wet. This might explain the arrival of a new region to the St. Henri blend: Frankland River. It joins Port Lincoln and regulars McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Padthaway in what must have been a busy blending exercise. Keeps true to the style in warmth of personality. A deeply coloured wine with intense blackberry, plum, briar, earth, leather aromas. The texture is striking, layered in deep pile, fine tannins and tiers of ripe black fruits, spices that lift, notes of chocolate and earth and a clean, smooth run through to the finish. A challenging vintage once again proves the value of Penfolds multi-regional blending philosophy and turns out an impressive St. Henri.

97 points Jeni Port for Hlliday Wine Companion

A very strong release for this classic Australian wine with a strong cellaring pedigree. Deep crimson in the glass with a purple edge and fruit tones of black cherry, satsuma plum, blueberry, and blackberry. Hints of brown spice, minerals, crushed herbs, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate-dipped cherries, black tea, roast meats and earth. There's a succulence and intensity to this year's release that is infectious; those enticing characters slowly shape-shift into something more savoury and vital at its core. The structure and fruit density suggest longevity is a given, along with balance and grace to boot. These are very good characters indeed. What a cracker.

97 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion

100% Shiraz, maturation is in large older oak vats, for this vintage, twelve months. This particular release is especially interesting as fruit from outside South Australia has been included. A percentage of the Shiraz is from Frankland River in Western Australia. Given how special the vintage was in that region, it shouldn’t really be a surprise. The other regions to contribute were McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Port Lincoln and Padthaway. An extremely good, though not absolutely elite, St Henri. Dark plum/opaque maroon in colour, this is ripe and generously flavoured, most approachable in its youthfulness. The balance is excellent and the finish lingering. On the nose we have aromas including bay leaves, black fruits, cocoa powder, baking spices, mulberries, smoked meats, bergamot, aniseed and something akin to a chocolate snack bar which is rather enticing. Seamless, supple and with a creamy texture and a line of juicy acidity, this is so well balanced. It really is an excellent St Henri, and will provide pleasure for the next twenty-five years. 2026 – 2051.

96 points Ken Gargett for Wine Pilot

Like descending into a cool, dark cave in the middle of scorching summer heat, you get overwhelmed with an overall sense of coolness and stillness; a quiet moment to regroup, reflect and reassess. It’s all there: freshly crushed black cherries, boysenberries and the wildest blackcurrants, alongside the aroma of freshly brewed Chinese tea. But you sort of have to move around in the dark, touching cold walls while feeling fresh droplets under your fingers. The palate mimics that continuous stream of water flowing from somewhere. The fruit density melts into that of the tannins, the oak wrapping around the two elements, combining everything together to give you that light you were searching for. You’re welcome to drink it now, as it gives you hints here and there, but I’d prefer to wait a little longer. 2026 – 2050.

96 points Lisa Cardelli for Wine Pilot

This is a black labrador puppy of a St Henri, with a silky soft tummy and a lustrous coat. In addition, it has so much generosity and a kindly nature; it opens on command and welcomes forensic inspection. There is nowhere to hide here with black liquorice, an entire suite of black fruits and flowers and a spice rack to boot. Earthiness and oak are present, but discreet. Forward and communicative, and yet with enough tannin and acidity to last a couple of decades, but perhaps no more, this is a stunning wine, and it will blow people away, not least if it’s one’s first sip of this glorious and eternally amazing label.

95 points Mathew Jukes

Long regarded as one of Australia's greatest Shiraz wines, Penfolds St Henri has earned its place among the nation's true winemaking icons. First released in the 1950s, it has always followed its own path, standing apart from other prestige Australian reds through a philosophy that celebrates vineyard character ahead of oak influence. Unlike many flagship Shiraz wines, St Henri is matured in large, seasoned oak vats rather than new barriques, allowing the fruit to remain the undisputed star. The result is a style of extraordinary purity, elegance and longevity that has captivated collectors for generations and continues to rank among the world's finest expressions of Shiraz.

The 2023 vintage draws together exceptional parcels from some of South Australia's finest vineyards, with Barossa Valley fruit providing the wine's generous heart, complemented by carefully selected components from other premium regions to build complexity and balance. Every parcel is vinified separately before the final blend, with maturation in large old oak vats preserving freshness, texture and regional identity. This traditional approach creates a wine that is unmistakably St Henri, defined not by overt oak or sheer power, but by refinement, harmony and remarkable capacity to evolve over decades.

Deep crimson with vibrant purple hues, the bouquet is wonderfully expressive, revealing layers of blackberry, black cherry and satsuma plum intertwined with violets, liquorice root and subtle baking spices. As the wine unfolds, notes of dark chocolate, olive tapenade, graphite, earth and dried herbs emerge, adding impressive depth without overwhelming the fruit. The palate is richly flavoured yet beautifully composed, with succulent dark berries gliding across a framework of velvety tannins and bright natural acidity. Hints of cocoa, black pepper, anise and savoury spice linger through an exceptionally long finish where freshness, balance and effortless elegance take centre stage. It is a wine of quiet confidence, proving that true greatness does not always need to shout.

Magnificent with slow roasted lamb shoulder, dry aged rib eye, braised beef cheeks, roast duck or aged cheddar. While immensely rewarding after a generous decant today, St Henri is built for the patient collector and will continue to develop remarkable complexity, grace and tertiary character over the next thirty years or more.