2003 St Henri Shiraz

The 2003 Shiraz “St. Henri” sees no new oak. It was aged for 14 months in large vats and represents the traditional style of winemaking before barriques came into vogue. It offers up meaty, savory aromas, leather, sage, blueberry, and blackberry. Smoothly textured, with excellent depth, it has enough structure to evolve for 4-6 years and will drink well through 2023. Penfolds, arguably Australia’s most famous winery, continues to perform at a high level under the leadership of Head Winemaker, Peter Gago. Importer: Southcorp Wines USA; www.penfolds.com.au Also tasted: 2006 Chardonnay “Thomas Hyland” (84), 2004 Shiraz “Bin 128” Coonawarra (84)

Peter Gago describes this as being made in ‘provocatively and deliberately old fashioned style’ but by this I think he meant with all the emphasis on fruit and no new oak. ‘A good solid vintage, not a great vintage like 2002’. Fermented and aged in wooden vats that are more than 50 years old, so all the tannin derives from the skins and seeds and not from the oak, and not oak-derived flavours apart from the modifications brought about by gentle oxygenation through the vats. Fruit source: 53% Barossa Valley, 34% Clare Valley, 6% McLaren Vale, 5% Langhorne Creek. A sturdy 14.5%. Meaty liquorice notes. Touch of mintiness. Very sweet black fruit, sweet ripe, softened tannins. Broad, rich, warm. Soft and mouthfilling. Rich and sweet but very well balanced. With time in the glass: more menthol and really meaty from ripe black fruit. Very ‘come hither’ and inviting. Softly carpeted.

Dark red. Vaguely roasted aromas of ripe blackberry, cherry and plum, plus hints of grilled meat and tobacco. Liqueur-like cherry and dark berry flavors betray a touch of warmth, with supple tannins building with air. This distinctly warm, toasty, rich wine should be drunk on the young side before it loses its freshness.