"Deep crimson. Intense elderberry, blackberry, liquorice and aniseed aromas with dark chocolate notes. Massively concentrated dark plum, elderberry and blackberry fruits with dark chocolate notes and fine dense chalky-firm tannins. Finishes chocolaty with cherry liqueur notes. A powerful wine built for the long haul. A superb St Henri vintage. Peak drinking 2026 to 2060."  Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating

"The 2016 St Henri is so profound and well-built that it took my breath away. Very complete and smooth, this is a powerful and focussed St Henri and it is certainly the finest release since the stellar 2010 vintage.  With a little more upholstery and depth than I would have expected, this is a stunning wine with layers and layers of plush fruit coupled with a seriously long finish. It is nothing short of brilliant. Drink: 2024-2050."  Matthew Jukes - 19.0+ points

"This is a much anticipated vintage for St. Henri, and it does not disappoint. The complexity of fruit here is stunning, together with a very complex and playfully fragrant, spicy edge with graphite, roasted coffee and woody spices, framing a core of very fresh blackberries, red and dark cherries and blueberries. So fresh and brimming with fruit aromas. The palate has a stunning array of deeply fleshy fruit flavors with a superb sense of length and powerful, ripe tannin, underpinning vibrant, fleshy fruit that is beautifully assembled in a refined, elegant and impressively pure mode. So long and pure. Silky and elegant. A real masterpiece, taking its place among the finest vintages like 2010, 1990 and 1971. Drink over the next three decades."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com – 98 points and Top 100 Wines of Australia 2019

"Medium deep colour. Lovely fragrant claret style wine with exuberant fresh red cherry redcurrant, mulberry cassis aromas and roasted walnut complexity. Well concentrated and generous with inky cassis mulberry fruits, smooth velvety tannins, attractive viscosity and richness on the mid-palate and fine integrated acidity. Finishes powdery firm with superb mineral length. A hugely evocative wine; true to the original blueprint, spirit of style and the classic Penfolds multi-regional template. Delicious to drink now but should age beautifully. Drink to: 2040."  Andrew Caillard MW – 98 points

"The 2016 St Henri Shiraz is one of the finest St Henris I've ever tasted, rivaling the likes of the 1986 or 1976. It's concentrated and rich, the essence of South Australia Shiraz (although it's been lightened by the addition of 5% Cabernet Sauvignon), unleavened by any new oak. Dark and tarry, it delivers notes of espresso and black olive, plummy fruit and roasted meat. Full-bodied and dense on the palate, it ends long, dark and savory."  Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate – 96 points

"Very deep, brooding red/purple colour, with a bouquet of ironstone, earth, smoke and bloody, sanguine overtones. It's youthful, bold and bright; fruit drives the wine, and it's almost lean it's so elegant; very long and refined on the follow-through, with very soft, fine-grained tannins throughout the palate. The tannins have an oaky taste but it's said not to see any small oak. This is all about finesse. Lovely wine. Drink: 2021–2040."  Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 95 points

"Immediately we see blueberries, we see violets, we see plums, we see a long, elegant finish. There's no ra-ra here, it's all composure and calm. You can see this singing for a good long time. The tannin here feels teased; almost sinewy; it will hold the wine in good stead. It was/is an anticipated release and it hasn't missed the boat. Drink: 2024-2034+."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 95 points

"If Grange is a Penfolds icon, St Henri is its loyal sidekick, always without the cloak of new oak - an echo of the so-called 'Hidden Granges' when Max Schubert was denied new oak by the Penfolds board. Deep, dark and brooding in colour, its pure, liquorice-spiced Shiraz fragrance shines through on the nose. As mentioned, this is unadorned by new oak, but its chocolatey richness and power - buttressed by 5% Cabernet Sauvignon - is in no way diminished without it. It displays concentrated opulent, spice-laden dark cherry and cassis primary fruit, texturally seamless and savoury with a fine spine of acidity and firm, chewy tannins. Excellent long-term ageing potential. Drink with lamb steaks."  Anthony Rose, Decanter - 95 points