TN: Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 1996

[Waiters Friend]

This is a complex wine at 23 years of age. There's still dark plum fruit on the nose, with some leather (polished), spices and dried herbs (oregano, thyme). There's also some dark chocolate on the nose.

The palate shows some sweet stewed fruits, and has a velvety mouthfeel. Tannins are noticeable but integrating well. Great length and palate weight, and words like 'seamless', 'well-constructed' and 'balanced' sum this up very well. Excellent wine.

Cheers
Allan

[Mike Hawkins]

To be honest, I found this vintage and the 99 boring each time I’ve had them (multiple times in 18/19). Well made and technically correct but no excitement factor or complexity. Glad your experience was better.

[JamieBahrain]

Had one boring 96 St H as you described but a month later had a stunning one.

You've commented before. I recall opening one to check and it was as you described. Pretty upset as I have x 6 in my cellar. Then a month later we had a stunner in a vertical event. Odd.

[Mike Hawkins]

Definitely! I sent most of the 96 and 99s to auction

[JamieBahrain]

Perhaps I got one from your case Mike.

One from auction and the other ( good one) from a UK collector.

[felixp21]

interesting how different we perceive wine.
I still got a couple of bottles of this wine which I purchased on release and have cellared in ideal conditions since. Simple, monolithic wine that is as boring as wine gets. Last seen about two years ago, so I'll open another bottle and see if maybe something magical has happened.

[Ian S]

interesting how different we perceive wine.

Absolutely - and this very much something to be celebrated rather than seen as something that needs to be fought against.

[Mahmoud Ali]

For my own part I suspect the wine is just a pup and in need of much more time.