68/32% cabernet sauvignon/shiraz, from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, Robe and the Clare Valley. Parcels matured separately for 22 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads; 1400 cases. Stature, power and might. The framework of cabernet in the presence of 100% new American oak hogsheads projects a 707esque presence, within which a one-third inclusion of shiraz builds dramatic palate depth and intrigue. It is as if all the grandeur of 707, Grange and 389 have been united in one dramatic whole. The result delivers structural endurance, a grand display of monumental fruit and a line and length that hark back to the glory days of Bin 60A and all the subsequent legends of Penfolds cabernet shiraz. Superblend, A-class indeed! Drink from: 2048. Drink by: 2068. Score - 98. (Tyson Stelzer, winecompanion.com.au, Aug. 2, 2021 )
Glass staining dense purple colour; walnut, clove, nutmeg, pepper and dark fruits on the nose, very deep and concentrated in the mouth, with assorted black fruits and bitumen on palate, and lashings of powdery but mouth-coating and insistent tannins. A big and strongly built shiraz for the long haul. (14 months in French oak hogsheads, 67% new). Drink date: 2027-2047. Score - 96. (Huon Hooke, therealreview.com, July 3, 2024)
Arguably the most dramatic of the collection's releases this year, this shiraz is all stops out, turbo charger on, power chords played, yet with precision and accuracy delivering an exciting aromatic introduction then sustained and reverberating interest. Think the most enticing bakery smells of berry tarts, fruit cake, then flint (with a tiny lift of VA), morphing into the French oak influences of cedar, capers and sandalwood - all of which the Penfolds team has noted as well in their own tasting assessments. The matrix within the wine is what compels - complex yet intricate, full-bodied yet pliable and enticing. Indulgent yet convincing. Drink: 2026-2040. Score - 97. (Tony Love, winepilot.com, July 2021)
Penfolds' connections with the Coonawarra region are historic, yet never stuck in the past as house styles evolve to meet contemporary tastes. This cabernet leads the way in such a journey, showcasing varietal purity with its crimson berries and delicate offsets, manifest in pretty floral aromatics, mint leaf gels and the background waft of herb garden lavender, rosemary and thyme. Then weave in a lovely wave of French oak derived baking spice, which gently transitions into a layer of finely controlled tannins in the finish. A lively, energetic, youthful and expressive wine that translates to pure delicious pleasure. Score - 98. (Tony Love, winepilot.com, July 2022)
Very deep purple/red colour with glass-staining residue, the bouquet loaded with , earthy, ferrous aromas that suggest ironstone and dried blood. The wine is very full-bodied, densely structured, highly concentrated and gripping, with masses of tannin. Chewy aftertaste that lingers long and echoes with multiple spices, especially cinnamon, clove and indeed, all of the five-spices. Tremendous length and impact: very much a western Barossa style of shiraz. (Saw 12 months in American and French oak barrels, 41% new). Drink date: 2023-2044. Score - 96. (Huon Hooke, therealreview.com, June 23, 2021)
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