The Auswine Forum

Pre-Dinner Tasting Wines (Single bottle x 12)
Penfolds St Henri 1979, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2006, plus one Grange 1990

Dinner Wines
Domaine A, Lady A, Tasmania 2007 (x3)
St Henri 1992 Magnum (x1)
St Henri 2005 (x3)
Lindeman’s Macquarie Port


Dinner 5-Course Menu

Amuse Bouche
* * *
2007 Lady A, Domaine A
Chilled edamame soup
blue prawn tartare, natto & pickled cucumber, caviar cream
* * *
Braised monkfish tail
jerusalem artichoke puree, monkfish liver, salty egg yolk emulsion
* * *
1992 Penfolds St Henri
Iberico pork collar
eggplant puree, black truffle jus
* * *
2005 Penfolds St Henri
Grilled 10-ounce US Prime Bavette
crispy fingerling potatoes, house made gravy
* * *
1970’s Lindeman’s Macquarie Port
Quintet of Cheese from Les Freres Marchands
Comte 36, gouda 36, truffled brie, gorgonzola, reblochon
served communal style
* * *
Americano and black tea
Petit fours



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Snippets-

1990 St Henri pipped the 1990 Grange blind.

Magnum is a wonderful format as the 92 was great.

1979 corked.

1998 poorly stored though it was claimed to be from good provenance from auction. It was Not Rated by me.

1986 stunning.

1996 suffering bottle variation. This was perfect and as expected. My last dreary and four square.

2000 stunning.

1989 stunning and not so well stored judging by the cork.

Lady A Sav blanc is rated by HKWS as one of the world's best. First two bottles over developed, third perfect! Great case for screw capped whites.

2005 and 2006 seem to be delivering a modern St Henri? Plush silken fruit. Prefer the old house style!

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Will be interesting how the modern versions of this wine will be in some years, a lot of Penfolds negativity on this board and, whilst overpriced, they are still likely to be magnificent wines. St Henri is probably the better rated relative to say RWT and Bin 389 now perhaps?

There is no negativity regarding St Henri in terms of quality...have brought the 08, 09, 10 and 12. But the prices I paid for them are less than half of what they are now...and that's where Pennies gets hammered on this forum...by me and plenty of others! The alienation of the domestic market has been nothing short of breathtaking!

Still it's not the piss take of Mt Ed...so guess we have to give them some credit.
Cheers
Craig

The only Penfolds I had was '96 Bin 389 almost 10 years ago. Oh yes, I paid Les than $30 CAD back then. I was quite pleased although haven't had any since.

I recently bought 3 bottles each of '15 Bin 389 and '14 St Henri at $52 & $68 (CAD) respectively. Any opinion on these recent vintages?

Dragzworthy wrote:Will be interesting how the modern versions of this wine will be in some years, a lot of Penfolds negativity on this board and, whilst overpriced, they are still likely to be magnificent wines. St Henri is probably the better rated relative to say RWT and Bin 389 now perhaps?

I took home near full bottles of 2005 and 2006. Drank them the next day. Just a hint of oxidation in both- now I'm far more used to drinking nebbiolo these days so noticing oxidation may be just me. Style seems far more modern and sure its age worthy, but perhaps not in the classical manner.

I doubt I'll ever buy the modern St Henri. Lacks spark for mine.

JamieBahrain wrote: I doubt I'll ever buy the modern St Henri. Lacks spark for mine.

It is a bit like how Wendouree is now...

Far more approachable..softer..And while I'm sure it'll age, just not sure it'll age in the same way...and just seems to be lacking in some way...

I've been more accepting of Wendouree for a number of reasons. It still broadly gets very high ratings and the fruit source unchanged. Stylistic change isn't well documented and blind faith in screw cap will probably draw a lot of local consumer trust that the style will be age worthy.

Now St Henri is a different story. Wasn't the 2007 100% Robe fruit? It's a multi-regional blend and a uber modern fruit bomb. There's no way a Wendouree wine will show oxidation on day two. They will age because experts at Penfolds tell me so- they will just age differntly.

JamieBahrain wrote:Wasn't the 2007 100% Robe fruit?

2007 was made up of Robe, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Padthaway, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, and Adelaide Hills fruit sources.

It was 100% Shiraz that vintage.

JamieBahrain wrote:I've been more accepting of Wendouree for a number of reasons. It still broadly gets very high ratings and the fruit source unchanged. Stylistic change isn't well documented and blind faith in screw cap will probably draw a lot of local consumer trust that the style will be age worthy.

Now St Henri is a different story. Wasn't the 2007 100% Robe fruit? It's a multi-regional blend and a uber modern fruit bomb. There's no way a Wendouree wine will show oxidation on day two. They will age because experts at Penfolds tell me so- they will just age differntly.

But you've tried the newer Wendourees right? Completely different type of wine..it is definitely more friendly towards different palates than the older style...

Will they end up in the same place? Maybe..but there is not track record of that so no one is to know...

But the general softness...less overall structure...they took an old school style and changed it...

Polymer wrote:

JamieBahrain wrote:I've been more accepting of Wendouree for a number of reasons. It still broadly gets very high ratings and the fruit source unchanged. Stylistic change isn't well documented and blind faith in screw cap will probably draw a lot of local consumer trust that the style will be age worthy.

Now St Henri is a different story. Wasn't the 2007 100% Robe fruit? It's a multi-regional blend and a uber modern fruit bomb. There's no way a Wendouree wine will show oxidation on day two. They will age because experts at Penfolds tell me so- they will just age differntly.

But you've tried the newer Wendourees right? Completely different type of wine..it is definitely more friendly towards different palates than the older style...

Will they end up in the same place? Maybe..but there is not track record of that so no one is to know...

But the general softness...less overall structure...they took an old school style and changed it...

What vintage did the newer style begin?

I thought it was like 2009 but I've been told 2006.

G'day Polymer

I don't drink Wendouree young though I tried some of the 2011's which I think I recall were too young!

I don't worry, but I do worry. More the screw cap than style. That said, I though the style softened then returned to something more classical? Guess I'll know in 10 +

Jamie:

Not as far as I know...I haven't tasted the 15s but previous to that no...

I'm not expecting these to be anything like the older wendourees..I don't see how...Tannin structure is different...fruit profile is different...missing some of the acetic acid...