TN's Penfolds Premium Wines New and Old
Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 5:44 pm
The setting: The Max Schubert Room at Penfolds Magill Winery, surrounded by racks containing thousands of bottles of vintage icon wines.
A small group of us (about 40) invited to taste a selection of premium new release (and selected back vintages).
All wines had been decanted for 4 hours, and served mostly in XL5 glasses, although the Grange wines were served in Riedel Ouverture Magnum glasses.
The white wines were served with oysters, and spicey scallops.
The red wines were served with quail, roasted lamb cutlets, and pan fried steak.
2006 Bin 51 Riesling
100% Eden Valley Fruit.
Straw Coloured, with green edges
Floral aromas of rose petals, geraniums, with perfumed spice, limes, apples and a hint of grapefruit.
On the palate - citrus, limes, grapefruit, and fresh apples. A fine acid spine, lasting dry and fruit finish, with supple minerality.
Very varietal. 92/100. Cellar for up to 10 years.
2006 Bin 311 Chardonnay
Fruit from Tumbarumba.
A pale straw colour.
Aromas of citrus fruits, grapefruit, and a good whiff of french oak.
Very fruit driven, with citrus fruits, grapefruit, subdued cashews, and yeast. Noticeable oak.
Chablis-like, with purity. 92/100. Cellar up to 5 years.
2005 Bin A Chardonnay (Bin 05A Chardonnay)
Pale straw.
Complex aromas of stone fruit, figs, and almonds.
Lemons, grapefruit, figs, tightly wound acid, creamy oak and lanolin eventually emerges, and is sustained through the long lasting finish. Stunning.
Again Chablis-like, with lovely fruit purity. Excellent. 95/100. Cellar for 5 or more years. WWOTN
2000 St Henri Shiraz
Dark red-purple
Aromas of violets, cherries, stewed plums and liquorice.
Rich luscious and fruity, with dark cherries, plums, chocolate, liquorice, smokey black pepper, firm and chunky tannins, sweet and acidic finish.
Still very young and fresh. Excellent. 94/100. Cellar for another 10years.
2003 St Henri Shiraz
Dark red-purple.
Heady aromas of raisins, dark fruit, Christmas pudding, mocha chocolate, and perfumed spice.
SIlky mouthfeel, red fruits, dark fruits, blueberries, soft tannins. I thought there was a noticeable mid-palate gap, and a somewhat attenuated finish. But still very ripe, and an early drinker. 90/100. Drink in the next 5 years.
1996 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
Very dark and purple.
Aromas of creme de cassis, small red and black berries, chocolate syrup, plums and spicey oak.
Complex layered fruits, spicey oak, large and drying/dusty tannins, some meaty and gamey elements, and fine herbs.
Very very young, but beginning to drink nicely, one of the all-time great 707's. Superb. 96/100. Cellar 10-15 years more.
2004 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
I thought that this wine would suffer because it followed the 1996, but was wrong, this is a very smart wine, and holds its own in the competition very well
Dark red and purple.
Aromas of cassis, red fruit, olives, and just a hint of coconutty oak.
Full of fruit, dark berries, plums, blackcurrant, chocolate, olives, soy, fine and chalky tannins, barely detectable oak giving a slightly sweet and long lasting finish.
Will be very very good in years to come. Excellent. 95/100. Cellar 10-20 years.
2002 RWT Shiraz
Dark purple, red edges.
Aromas of violets, iodine, chocolate and sweet cedary oak.
Very much fruit driven, layered black fruit, blackberries, satsuma plums, black pepper, fine grained, dusty tannins, and a good whack of French oak. Unmistakably a big Barossan shiraz, but at the same time elegant and not overpowering. A nice lasting finish. Excellent. 96/100. Cellar up to 10 years.
2004 RWT Shiraz
Dark red-purple.
Aromas of Barossa fruit, choc-cherries, sweet cedary oak.
Impressive depth of fruit, dark chocolate, cherries, again a good whack of French oak, finer grain tannins, and satisfying finish. Not as well balanced as the '02 above.
Very good. 94/100. Cellar for up to 10 years.
1990 Bin 95 Grange
95% Shiraz, 5% Cabernet.
Dark purple, not inky.
Lovely nose of lifted violets, dark fruit, blueberries, blackberries, dark olives, black jam, truffles.
Impeccable mouthfeel, layer upon layer of fresh dark fruit, plums, black olives, tar, truffles, exquisitely fine-grained soft and slippery tannins, and enormous length of finish. It just keeps building and building up to a crescendo.
One of the greatest vintages, impeccably presented. c'est magnifique! 98/100. Will cellar for many years to come! RWOTN, and WOTN by a very large margin.
2002 Bin 95 Grange
98.5% Shiraz. 1.5% Cabernet. Fruit: 77.5% Barossa Valley, 22.5% Mclaren Vale.
Dark purple, again not inky.
Aromas of violets, spice, pepper, chocolate, olives, and jam.
Impressive mouthfeel, incredible depth of layered fruit, plums, black olives, peppery and spicey meat,tar and liquorice, dark chocolate, subtle but toasty vanilla oak, firm and grippy ripe tannins.
Tightly coiled, beautifully balanced and ready to pounce. Powerful, but also very nicely refined. An excellent Grange. 95/100. Huge potential.
And then the night was over.
Many thanks to the organisers.
#11
A small group of us (about 40) invited to taste a selection of premium new release (and selected back vintages).
All wines had been decanted for 4 hours, and served mostly in XL5 glasses, although the Grange wines were served in Riedel Ouverture Magnum glasses.
The white wines were served with oysters, and spicey scallops.
The red wines were served with quail, roasted lamb cutlets, and pan fried steak.
2006 Bin 51 Riesling
100% Eden Valley Fruit.
Straw Coloured, with green edges
Floral aromas of rose petals, geraniums, with perfumed spice, limes, apples and a hint of grapefruit.
On the palate - citrus, limes, grapefruit, and fresh apples. A fine acid spine, lasting dry and fruit finish, with supple minerality.
Very varietal. 92/100. Cellar for up to 10 years.
2006 Bin 311 Chardonnay
Fruit from Tumbarumba.
A pale straw colour.
Aromas of citrus fruits, grapefruit, and a good whiff of french oak.
Very fruit driven, with citrus fruits, grapefruit, subdued cashews, and yeast. Noticeable oak.
Chablis-like, with purity. 92/100. Cellar up to 5 years.
2005 Bin A Chardonnay (Bin 05A Chardonnay)
Pale straw.
Complex aromas of stone fruit, figs, and almonds.
Lemons, grapefruit, figs, tightly wound acid, creamy oak and lanolin eventually emerges, and is sustained through the long lasting finish. Stunning.
Again Chablis-like, with lovely fruit purity. Excellent. 95/100. Cellar for 5 or more years. WWOTN
2000 St Henri Shiraz
Dark red-purple
Aromas of violets, cherries, stewed plums and liquorice.
Rich luscious and fruity, with dark cherries, plums, chocolate, liquorice, smokey black pepper, firm and chunky tannins, sweet and acidic finish.
Still very young and fresh. Excellent. 94/100. Cellar for another 10years.
2003 St Henri Shiraz
Dark red-purple.
Heady aromas of raisins, dark fruit, Christmas pudding, mocha chocolate, and perfumed spice.
SIlky mouthfeel, red fruits, dark fruits, blueberries, soft tannins. I thought there was a noticeable mid-palate gap, and a somewhat attenuated finish. But still very ripe, and an early drinker. 90/100. Drink in the next 5 years.
1996 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
Very dark and purple.
Aromas of creme de cassis, small red and black berries, chocolate syrup, plums and spicey oak.
Complex layered fruits, spicey oak, large and drying/dusty tannins, some meaty and gamey elements, and fine herbs.
Very very young, but beginning to drink nicely, one of the all-time great 707's. Superb. 96/100. Cellar 10-15 years more.
2004 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
I thought that this wine would suffer because it followed the 1996, but was wrong, this is a very smart wine, and holds its own in the competition very well
Dark red and purple.
Aromas of cassis, red fruit, olives, and just a hint of coconutty oak.
Full of fruit, dark berries, plums, blackcurrant, chocolate, olives, soy, fine and chalky tannins, barely detectable oak giving a slightly sweet and long lasting finish.
Will be very very good in years to come. Excellent. 95/100. Cellar 10-20 years.
2002 RWT Shiraz
Dark purple, red edges.
Aromas of violets, iodine, chocolate and sweet cedary oak.
Very much fruit driven, layered black fruit, blackberries, satsuma plums, black pepper, fine grained, dusty tannins, and a good whack of French oak. Unmistakably a big Barossan shiraz, but at the same time elegant and not overpowering. A nice lasting finish. Excellent. 96/100. Cellar up to 10 years.
2004 RWT Shiraz
Dark red-purple.
Aromas of Barossa fruit, choc-cherries, sweet cedary oak.
Impressive depth of fruit, dark chocolate, cherries, again a good whack of French oak, finer grain tannins, and satisfying finish. Not as well balanced as the '02 above.
Very good. 94/100. Cellar for up to 10 years.
1990 Bin 95 Grange
95% Shiraz, 5% Cabernet.
Dark purple, not inky.
Lovely nose of lifted violets, dark fruit, blueberries, blackberries, dark olives, black jam, truffles.
Impeccable mouthfeel, layer upon layer of fresh dark fruit, plums, black olives, tar, truffles, exquisitely fine-grained soft and slippery tannins, and enormous length of finish. It just keeps building and building up to a crescendo.
One of the greatest vintages, impeccably presented. c'est magnifique! 98/100. Will cellar for many years to come! RWOTN, and WOTN by a very large margin.
2002 Bin 95 Grange
98.5% Shiraz. 1.5% Cabernet. Fruit: 77.5% Barossa Valley, 22.5% Mclaren Vale.
Dark purple, again not inky.
Aromas of violets, spice, pepper, chocolate, olives, and jam.
Impressive mouthfeel, incredible depth of layered fruit, plums, black olives, peppery and spicey meat,tar and liquorice, dark chocolate, subtle but toasty vanilla oak, firm and grippy ripe tannins.
Tightly coiled, beautifully balanced and ready to pounce. Powerful, but also very nicely refined. An excellent Grange. 95/100. Huge potential.
And then the night was over.
Many thanks to the organisers.
#11
