St. Henri Claret
⏳ Drinking Window
2025 - 2050
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted leg of lamb, slow-braised beef cheeks, aged cheddar cheese
✨ Technical Specifications
Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz (historically known as St. Henri Claret) is a legendary alternative expression of premium South Australian red wine. First released commercially in 1957 by winemaker John Davoren, St. Henri was developed as a stylistic counterpoint to the robust, heavily oaked Grange. Its heritage dates back to the late 19th century at the historic Auldana cellars. Uniquely for a collectible Australian red, St. Henri is aged entirely in large, neutral oak foudres, some of which are over 50 years old. This ensures that the wine receives no new oak character, allowing the pure, multi-regional fruit expression of South Australian Shiraz to shine. The result is a wine of immense elegance, structure, and mineral complexity that evolves beautifully over decades.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold at Magill Estate in the Mount Lofty foothills, Penfolds represents one of the foundational cornerstones of Australian fine wine. Over nearly two centuries, the house evolved from crafting fortified tonics to pioneering modern multi-regional and multi-vineyard blending across South Australia's premier terroirs, including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Coonawarra. Soils span from rich terra rossa over limestone to weathered ironstone and alluvial clays under warm Mediterranean climates tempered by maritime breezes. Under the long-term stewardship of Chief Winemaker Peter Gago, the house adheres to Sustainable Winegrowing Australia standards while preserving an unmistakable house style defined by meticulous fruit classification, submerged-cap fermentation, and structured maturation in American and French oak hogsheads. Benchmark bottlings such as Grange (Bin 95), Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, and Yattarna Chardonnay define the apex of collectible New World viticulture.
🍇 Grapes
Shiraz (typically 95-100%), sometimes with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon
🍷 ABV
14.0%-14.5%