1966 «««« Drink now to past.

Medium-deep crimson. Intense and complex walnut, graphite, blood and bone fertiliser aromas with inky leathery notes. Supple, rich and fruit sweet with surprising density and clarity of apricot, roasted walnut, panforte and shellac flavours. Fine, bitter but plentiful tannins and underlying acidity. Still holding but not for long.

A rich ripe decadent wine with raspberry, all spice and candied rose aromas. The palate is fleshy and plush with juicy red fruits and fine long tannins. (JR)

Mushroom and cedar with a hint of floor polish. Wonderful expansive palate with a feather of delicate tertiary flavours. Fully developed. (FW)

1967 ««« Past.

A well-regarded vintage with richness and weight but the wine is beyond its best.

1968 «« Drink now to past.

Not a great year but some bottles are still holding. Best to drink up.

1969 « Past.

A very ordinary year. Occasional bottles show richness of flavour, but most are skeletal.

1970 «« Past.

An undistinguished St Henri with pronounced leafy tobacco notes and firm tannins.

1971 ««««« Drink now to soon.

Medium-deep brick crimson. Intense orange peel, camomile, rose garden and cassis aromas with beautiful roasted coffee notes. A superbly concentrated wine with orange peel, rose garden, dried herb and chinotto flavours. Superb fine silky textures, long fresh acidity and smoked meat notes at the finish. A beautiful wine and one of the great St Henri vintages of all time.

Ravishingly silky and succulent with meaty savoury notes. The palate still has plenty of fruit sweetness and depth supported by very fine supple tannins. (NB)

Dark berries and dry leaves, a lick of sweet soy and char siu, spice and smoke. A suppleness and restrained fleshiness. Some cola and chinotto notes at the finish. (NR)

1972 TO 1974 Mostly past.

Fully mature or overdeveloped wines with most bottles having lost their freshness and balance; the tannins being the dominant force.

1975 ««« Past.

A sturdy vintage that once had plenty of meat on its bones. The tannins are now very pronounced, and the fruit is no longer well matched to the structure.

1976 ««««« Drink now to 2028.

Medium-deep crimson. Fresh-ground coffee, roasted walnut and panforte aromas with herb garden and liquorice notes. A full-bodied and inky wine with sweet panforte and roasted almond flavours, fine and plentiful al dente tannins, attractive mid-palate viscosity and underlying persistent acidity. Ample and lively, this is a lovely St Henri.

Cherry and bitter chocolate aromas with smoky liquorice and exotic flowers. Quite slow to open on the palate but there is richness, complexity and fine supple tannins. (JR)

A slight touch of Christmas cake but more sous bois, earth and polish. Unexpectedly tannic with a vigorous structure. (FW)

1977 TO 1985 Past.

A swag of older vintages all teetering close to their end. Some will be showing some remnants of fruit, but most examples are past their best drinking.

1986 ««««« Drink now to 2040.

Medium-deep crimson. Lovely and fresh mocha, redcurrant and dark berry aromas with dried herb and cola notes. A well-concentrated and supple wine with inky dark berry, polished leather, chinotto/cola flavours, fine loose-knit, firm and dry tannins and raspberry confit notes. Lovely complexity and freshness. Tannins give supportive structure.

Pure ripe raspberry rosehip notes and gently flowing silken textures. Attractive mid-palate richness and a clean firm finish. Should go a much longer distance. (NB)

Seductive musky plums, raspberries, Dutch liquorice and mineral salts. Soft and fleshy with talc/powder tannins. Sinewy finish. (NR)

1987 «« Drink now to past.

An elegant style of St Henri with plentiful herb garden nuances and fine loose-knit textures. Still drinkable but at its end, although it was always better than the reputation of the vintage suggested.

1988 ««« Drink now to past.

Well-advanced wine but still showing freshness and richness on the palate. The fruit is very evolved with developed red fruits and tobacco nuances. Some minty notes.

1989 «««« Drink now.

Medium-deep crimson. Fresh red berry, earth, herb garden and tobacco aromas and flavours. Fully developed with attractive mid-palate richness and supple fine tannins. Chalky firm at the finish with persistent fruit. Holding up really well considering the vintage s reputation of being difficult and below average.

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