The Sleeper Shiraz

The Anvil is powerful and captivating on the nose, with peppery spice and dark fruit flavours. This is backed up by a bright, juicy palate bathed in oak spice, anise, black berries and a savoury all-spice finish.

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.

Opulent dark forest fruit with aromatic notes of spice, white pepper and dark chocolate. The palate is textured and layered, showing elegance and refined structure. Fresh, juicy and balanced acidity, subtle oak with hints of clove and mulberry lingers on the finish.

The colour is deep red. On the nose you get nuances of plum, violets, cloves and tabacco. The mid-palate is juicy with prominent flavours of black cherries and dark chocolate and a long finish of red berries and espresso.