Jay60A wrote:Interesting to see the statistical spike in 2005-6 which is about the last vintage I bought - looks like many others have drawn the same conclusion.
However - I wonder if it's also related to age of people on the forum though as well as the price?
I'm pushing 44 ... and even 389 or St Henri from a top vintage needs 15 years - the 1996 389s are probably in the zone now, St Henri maybe still 5 years off.Why would I buy 2006+ aside from hype?
Jay
Only 44? In 15 years (all going well) you'll be 59 and I'll be 80.
But age is not the reason I stopped buying Pennies wines in 2009, I decided they were not good enough value any more and I have found plenty of other suitable replacements, some the same price, a few higher-priced, some lesser in price but not in perceived quality for my drinking purposes. I've sold off much of what I had, partly due to the corks, down to 13 bottles now.
Cheers Brian Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Sorry to resurrect an old topic, and perhaps I could have included this under the current topic of purchases for the cellar. Not having a long wine collecting history, and a token collection of Penfolds, but my last purchase was 2006 St Henri....up until today. I have Just attended a tasting of the 2009 RWT[b][/b]and walked out of the store with a bottle. I did not intend purchasing, however after having my quota of two tastings I thought it was a worthy investment. Med bodied, elegant rather than bold, good quality oak - evident but in balance. I agree with everyone's postings and have been disappointed with the recent Bin releases as well as the prices, but tasting the RWT it was like going back to the classic Penfolds wines.
I'm still buying at the moment but it's getting less and less - this year just a few 407 & 389 and I'm hoping for a 707 - probably be the last 707 for me and could well be my last bin purchases as well.
Being new to the wine scene I attended my first Bin release tasting last month and bought a couple of bottles of Bin 150 Shiraz, 2 bottles of the 389 and 2 bottles of the 2007 Bin 138 GSM. I did not like the current bin 138 so after tasting the 07 I bought it instead,. and the bin 128 and 28 also did not impress me to the point of buying any. The 407 was worth a look but I had spent enough so held of buying any just yet.
I have a few 05 389s which I purchased in a manner I can't recall 1 x 2005 st Henri 4 x 2006 st Henri 6x 2007 st Henri 1 x 2008 st Henri 2x 2006 rwt 1x 2009 rwt (all rwt purchased in duty free Sydney from my international work travels) 2x 2008 grange - sons birth day.
Although only 5 years old I told him that the Grange is for his wedding day or 30th birth year. He then told me that the wine was 'Daddy's yucky juice'. You can only smile.
We recently had an offline where a 1998 Bin 389 was served up and it was sublime. Close to WOTY for me. Got me back on the saddle for 389. Roll on 2012. Patience is the key to revealing the treasure. The 1993 St Henri on the same night was a close second.
But of course I am worried that the same care, quality of input, love and attention is given to the brand now.
I had originally voted '02/'04/'05 collectively being my last purchase when they went on sale for $24.99 a few years ago. However, last week I found and bought a bottle of the '02 that was languishing on the shelf of a local store. It was reasonable priced, about A$30, so I took a bottle to a wine and cheese party so see how it was faring. The host opened a number of very old bottles so, by comparison, the Bin 389 was very punchy and young. Really hard to tell at the end of the evening but honestly the wine is far too young and not nearly generous enough to drink with anything but a piece of thick barbequed meat. There is no way I would even think about opening another bottle, let alone an '04 or '05.
If I get back to the store in question I might try the '03 that was also there. Perhaps it might be more generous.
Last purchase of RED was the 2005 St Henri. Still have bottles going back to '92. Average retail price in the US (from Wine Searcher) for St Henri is now around $USD75 - there are boat loads of better wine for the price.
I saw a few bottles of St Henri on a shelf for $50, gave it a moments thought and passed it buy. Can't explain it, just didn't click, probably just too young. Have since spent $35 on a premium Sicilian wine and that has me excited. What can I say, I think Penfold's marketing antics have jaded me considerably.
