TV: Penfolds St Henri 1997

Martin Phillipson · Post by **Martin Phillipson** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 8:20 am

Hi All

Well after the delights of the 389's and Old Blocks (see below) this brought me down to earth with a bump.

Definitely a product of a poor vintage. This wine wasn't obviously flawed it's just a very poor wine. Thin, weedy and harsh, really most unpleasant. Left half a bottle in a 375ml to see if it might improve a bit, it didn't. This is not overly descriptive (even for a TV) but there wasn't much to commend about this.

Ended up not finishing the bottle (which happens very rarely!) I have 2 left and it's 2 too many. If I could auction it here I would, but I can't..so into the Spag Bol it goes. If you have any these my advice is drink em or flog em on this showing. Poor purchase on my part.

Martin

n4sir · Post by **n4sir** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:29 am

Unusual to hear this Martin, as while 1997 wasn't a great vintage the St. Henri wasn't bad at all on release.

I suspect you may have either struck a bad bottle or it's still in its sleeping mode, and I'd give your remaining two bottles a few years rest before trying again.

I remember writing off the 1995 St Henri as "thin, acidic raspberry cordial", and by the time I finished my last bottle a few years later it had bloomed into something very nice indeed - not the strongest of wines mind you, but a very marked change from undrinkable to very good.

Popov · Post by **Popov** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:52 am

Martin,

I wonder if the 97 gets a bit of a disservice for being sandwiched in between the 96 and 98 & 99 vintages of both the St Henri and Grange.
I had a 97 St Henri about a month ago and it was a much better wine than expected and it was indeed a very nice drop albeit not as good as the other vintages around it.
The 97 Grange is somewhat similar in that it is itself a fantastic wine but not in the class of the 96, 98 & 99 Grange.
Again, on the bottle I had, I would be happy to have a few more in the cellar but that was my last bottle.

Cheers
Popov

Martin Phillipson · Post by **Martin Phillipson** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 7:07 am

OK Gents

I'll keep them in a corner and forget about them and see if something blossoms. Certainly your experience of the 1995 sounds similar.

M

Mike Hawkins · Post by **Mike Hawkins** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:40 am

I tried the 97 Grange at a tasting in the US recently, and I have had it upon release. Don't be too worried about the so called vintage charts, as I think this is a really good (albeit not great) Grange. Definitely underrated.

Mike

roughred · Post by **roughred** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:00 am

I would suspect a bad bottle. I also thought the 97 St H was a pretty good wine on release, certainly mid weight and savoury, but not malnourished. Keep it on faith, I am.

I am surprised by a lot of wines from 97. I had written off the vintage largely on the advice of others, without really forming my own opinion. More often than not I am surprised, and sometimes bloody rapt at how some 97's have turned out. In fact many 97's seem to be faring better then the uber-hyped 98's.

LL

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:13 am

Lennie,

Agree that many Victorian 97's are fairing well but I have not had many 97's from SA that have outshone either their 96 or 98 counterparts.

Gary W · Post by **Gary W** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 11:35 am

I have had a lot of 97 St Henri over the past few years. There is certainly a bit of a green character through it but I think it is a very nice drink nonetheless. I actually like many of the 97 South Australians - just because they are not overwhelming and they drink well...and they have a bit of grip too.

GW

http://www.winorama.com.au

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 8:37 pm

My unpadded notes I just found in the notebook I took to Te Mata tasting:

1997 St Henri: More aged colour, ruby, bricking rim. Nose very complex. Great texture, unctious and rich, more developed and complex. qpr not really there, later looked a lot better richer

Seemed a wine that was going to develop reasonably early. Not great St Henri.

Ive really enjoyed the 1993 also which is a wine that was trashed by ROP. probably more substantial than the Grange of the same year and still humming in the cellar!