Penfolds Grange Wine Dinner at Cafe Maxx

“WARNING! The consumption of wine might cause you to think you can sing.”

One of the reasons that I get out of bed in the morning is to drink wines like Penfolds Grange. Grange is a symbol of the best that Australia has to offer, the pinnacle of quality and the epitome of what a Shiraz from southeast Australia is and a standard bearer should be. That is why this is an annual event for us- all we ask for is simply the best. We will preview the newly released 2009 Grange along with a few older vintages of this wine to show you why Grange is the ultimate in Australian Shiraz.

Over the years we have had both John Duvall and Peter Gago, the last two winemakers for Grange along with other Penfolds’ personalities and this year we have Andy Penfolds (Me) and I just brushed up on my Penfolds studies this week with Penfolds winemaking ambassador DLynn Proctor so I have some new stories to share with our group this evening.   Chef Oliver Saucy will be preparing a special five course tasting menu to accompany the wines and yes all this for ½ the price of one bottle of the current release of Grange!   This event is limited to 15 people and the fee for this dinner is $295 per person + tax + Gratuity, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Penfolds Grange Dinner at Cafe Maxx

Friday July 25th

7pm

Reception:

Sea scallop and Fuji apple cevicheMahi -Mahi fingers with mango relishSundried pear chutney with Bell & Evans chicken

2008 Penfolds Thomas Hyland Riesling

Price: $9.75         Sale $8.58           

(90 Points) This juicy white offers a mouthwatering whoosh of lime blossom-scented pear and apple flavors, lingering effortlessly on the vivid finish. Drink now through 2014. 8,000 cases imported. –HS Wine Spectator Issue: Aug 31, 2009

 

Fish CourseAlmond roasted hog snapper with oregano -lemon couscous, citrus butter and Florida green beans

2013 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay

Price: $37.50        Sale $33.00           Case $383

Bin 311 Chardonnay is sourced from a single region and each year the fruit selection is made to reflect the Bin 311 style. In 2012, fruit was sourced from Tumbarumba — one of Australia’s most exciting cool climate viticultural districts. The Bin 311 style typically expresses a mineral acid backbone, complemented by barrel fermentation, subtle lees influence and sensitive maturation in seasoned oak. Minimal filtration is employed, preserving the elegant fruit flavours.

 

Pasta Course

Roasted duck and clamshell mushroom ravioli with mixed berry and cherry demi glaze

 

2010 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz Kalimna

Price: $35.00       Sale $30.80          Case $357

(92 Points) Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2010 Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz presents lovely, expressive blueberry, black raspberry and black cherries notes highlighted by violets, toast, cinnamon stick and touch of mulberries. Full-bodied and rich, the concentrated fruit is framed by medium levels of rounded tannins, crisp acid and a long, classically-styled finish. Approachable now, it will drink to 2020+. Wine Advocate #205, Feb 2013

1996 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz Kalimna

Price: $40.00       Sale $35.20

(90 points) A beguiling combination of rich, almost decadentflavors on an upright frame that has a nicelyburied backbone of acidity and tannin. Nothing isobtrusive, everything is in graceful balance,leaving an ultimate impression of both muscle andflesh. Best after 2002. 6,600 cases imported. “HS Issue: Jan 31, 2000

 

Foie Gras Course

Sautéed foie gras with blue berry-lavender gelee, foie gras sauce, whole wheat crostini and braised kale

2009 Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa

Price: $149.00      Sale $131.12        Case $1520

Penfolds RWT Shiraz presents an admirable alternative to the multi-regional sourcing and American oak maturation that are hallmarks of Grange, expressing instead, single-region Barossa Valley Shiraz matured only in French oak.   The initials RWT stand for ‘Red Winemaking Trial’, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995. Naturally, now no longer a ‘Trial’! RWT Shiraz was launched in May 2000 with the 1997 vintage. Its style is opulent and fleshy, contrasting with Grange, which is more muscular and assertive.   RWT is made from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and fine texture rather than sheer intensity or power of flavour. The result is a wine that helps to redefine Barossa Shiraz at the highest quality level.

2002 Penfolds Shiraz RWT

Price: $75.00       Sale $66.00

(93) The outstanding 2002 Shiraz RWT is a 100% Shiraz, single region (Barossa) offering that typically spends 14 months in a combination of two-thirds new and one-third old French oak. Expansive and rich with a broad texture, and a complex nose of white chocolate, raspberries, black cherries, and licorice, this spicy, rich, medium-bodied, elegant 2002 should drink well for 10-12 years. Wine Advocate #161 (Oct 2005)

 

Main Course

Austrlian lamb rib eye, roasted fingerling and wild mushroom mash, leek and pearl onion demi glaze

2010 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz

Price: $97.50        Sale $85.80           Case $995

(97+ Points) Very deep purple-black in color and showing an attractive nose of warm blackcurrants, blueberries and licorice with a complex undercurrent of mocha, cedar, menthol and grilled meat, the full-bodied 2010 St Henri Shiraz is relatively rich in the mouth, offering tons of fruit structured by firm, fine tannins and refreshing acid. It finishes with great persistence. Drink it 2015 to 2030+.   eRobertParker.com #211, Feb 2014

2002 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz South Australia

Price: $89.00       Sale $78.32

(92 points) A classic effort, the 2002 Shiraz St. Henri (91% Shiraz and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon) was aged 14 months in old 1,460 liter vats. First introduced in 1953, the St. Henri offering is considered to be a quintessential old Southern Australian-styled red. The 2002 was sourced from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, and the Fleurieu Peninsula. This stunningly rich, distinctive Shiraz offers up scents of Provencal herbs, bay leaves, blackberries, black currants, new saddle leather, and loads of meaty characteristics. Rich, texturally opulent, and soft, this heady offering should drink well for 10-12 years. It is also a very good bargain in the scheme of Penfolds pricing. Wine Advocate # 167 Oct 2006

Cheese Course

Selection of artisanal cheeses with dried fruit

Penfolds Grange South Australia 2009

Price: $850.00    Sale $699

The 2009 Grange  has 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the grapes for this vintage hail from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Magill Estate.  This wine spent 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads.  The 2009 is a more elegant Grange but still has a good amount of dark and red berry fruit on the nose with highlights of mocha, fresh flowers, cola and licorice spice very well endowed bouquet of aromas that is even bigger on the second day.  On the tongue this wine is big and chewy but has a firm hand of acidity leaving the tongue refreshed despite the amount of delicious fruit here, the tannins are a bit rough around the edges still on the finish but this wine has all the right stuff echoing the nuance from the nose through the finish, very long and layered the wine needs time, very well built with a long finish.  Finish 50+          Most Excellent +

Penfolds Grange South Australia 1998

Price: $525.00    Sale $462.00

(98+ Points) A wine that flirts with perfection, and should rival the 1986 as one of the legendary Granges produced, the 1998 has one of the highest alcohol contents (nearly 15%) as well as one of the highest percentages of Shiraz in the blend (97%). Its stunning purple color is accompanied by exceptionally sweet aromas of blackberry liqueur intermixed with barbecue spices, an endearing, smoky earthiness, pepper, roasted meats, and coffee. Huge, massive, unctuously textured, and extraordinarily youthful, this impressive wine is a candidate for perfection. It should continue to evolve over the next three decades.  Grange, Penfolds’ flagship wine, is, by many accounts, the most renowned and world-famous wine produced in Australia, and these six vintages from my cellar all acquitted themselves well. These wines are almost always Shiraz, but many vintages include less than 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are cross-appellations blends from vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale.  Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

Penfolds Grange Hermitage1980

(94+ Points) The least impressive, but still a very great wine, is the dark garnet-hued 1980. Still a young wine at age 29, it exhibits massive earthy, meaty, bacon fat notes intermixed with notions of scorched earth, blackberries, currants, pepper, and spice. Full and rich with slightly rustic tannins, it has a good 20 years of life ahead of it.  Grange, Penfolds’ flagship wine, is, by many accounts, the most renowned and world-famous wine produced in Australia, and these six vintages from my cellar all acquitted themselves well. These wines are almost always Shiraz, but many vintages include less than 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are cross-appellations blends from vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale.  Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

Dessert

Dried fig and port crème brulee with caramel sauce

A bit of history about Penfolds:

Penfolds, a household word in Australia and one of the world's largest wine companies, traces its origins back to Magill on the outskirts of Adelaide at the foot of the Mount Lofty Ranges.   It was at Magill that Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold, the founder of this great firm, first planted his vineyard.  Dr. Penfold, the son of a Sussex vicar, the Reverend John Penfold, was schooled in England, and married his wife there in 1835.  However, within a few short years, he decided to try his hand at life in the colonies and purchased a grant of land at Magill in South Australia for what was considered a large sum of money.  With his wife and baby daughter, Georgina, he made the hazardous voyage towards the end of 1844.  The family settled on their land at Magill and built a white-washed stone cottage which they named "The Grange".  As well as practicing medicine and looking after his farm, Dr. Penfold planted vine cuttings which he had brought out with their ends dipped in sealing wax to keep the sap in the vines until they were planted.  He did not approve of the quality of imported wine of the time so he made his own for use of his patients with anemia.  Whether the wine was in fact any help to anemia is debatable, but this now discredited cure was the beginning of a huge enterprise.  By the time of his death in 1870, Dr. Penfold had expanded his viticultural holdings and devoted more and more time to winemaking.  In his twenty-six years in the young colony, Dr. Penfold had laid the basis of a veritable viticultural dynasty.

Although the wine business at Magill seemed to falter slightly after Dr. Penfold's death, by 1881 it was again flourishing; and Penfolds was becoming the most important wine producer in South Australia.  Historical records reveal that the stock of wine at the Magill winery in 1881 was about 485,000 liters.  At that time the total quantity in South Australian was about 1.4 million liters.  Wine production continued to increase, and by 1885 trade was flourishing between Magill and all the states as well as New Zealand.  One of Dr. Penfold's four grandchildren, Frank Penfold Hyland (born 1873), was responsible for guiding the company through almost fifty years of successful expansion.  Frank entered the business in 1892 and spent three years in Europe studying winemaking.  After Frank's death in 1948, at the age of 74, the company was administered by a Board of Directors for some fourteen years before it became a public company in 1962.  Expansion continued throughout the sixties and seventies with the most significant expansion occurring in 1982 when Penfolds acquired the Kaiser Stuhl winery.  Throughout the eighties Penfolds continued its aggressive expansion, swallowed up the huge Seppelt winery, and was said to control nearly 40% of all Australian wine production.  Also in 1988, Penfold's flung its far-reaching tentacles abroad and purchased half of Sonoma County's Geyser Peak winery.  Magill is still the headquarters of the Penfolds organization, but their winery at Nuriootpa is the major production facility.  The "Grange", the family's small old white-washed stone cottage, is still maintained at Magill in its original condition and is used as a museum.  Today Penfold's is a huge and successful enterprise.  Indeed, a great deal of wine has flowed since Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold began to cure his anemic patients at Magill.

Other Penfolds Wines Available

2013 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay

Price: $37.50       Sale $33.00          Case $383

Bin 311 Chardonnay is sourced from a single region and each year the fruit selection is made to reflect the Bin 311 style. In 2012, fruit was sourced from Tumbarumba — one of Australia’s most exciting cool climate viticultural districts. The Bin 311 style typically expresses a mineral acid backbone, complemented by barrel fermentation, subtle lees influence and sensitive maturation in seasoned oak. Minimal filtration is employed, preserving the elegant fruit flavours.

 2007 Penfolds Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir

Price: $39.00       Sale $34.32          Case $398

The Cellar Reserve Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir was first released commercially in 1997, following a series of winemaking trials by Peter Gago at Magill Estate.  Small-batch winemaking practice is central to the overall style of this pinot noir. The fruit is sourced from various cool-climate vineyard sites around Adelaide Hills, and around the clock hand plunging through the fermentation process further optimises the flavours until the wine approaches dryness.  Penfolds and independent growers work closely to achieve the best results with the grapes. No parcel of fruit is ever exactly the same and the required standards are achieved through intuitive tasting and basic field-testing of grapes in the vineyards.  Penfolds continues to experiment and refine the Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir. Presently the wine is best to drink when fresh and young; however the best vintages can age and gain further complexity and richness with a few years in the cellar. The wine is bottled unfiltered.

2012 Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz                                 

Price: $27.75       Sale $24.42          Case $284

Coonawarra enjoys a relatively cool climate and the profile of shiraz from this region differs markedly to shiraz produced from the Barossa. Aromatically, the Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz exhibits more peppery spice than sweet spice, red rather than black fruits and fennel over aniseed. Structurally it is firmer, with pronounced acid and savoury tannins.  This refined wine is renowned for its consistency and reliability as both a current-drinking and cellaring-type red.  Bin 128 represents the synergistic blending of Penfolds’ mastery of shiraz with the unique climate and growing conditions of Coonawarra, to create a wine that delivers a distinctly regional twist to the classic Penfolds style.

2011 Penfolds Bin 138 GSM

Price: $37.50       Sale $33.00          Case $383

2010 Penfolds Bin 138 GSM                                 

Price: $37.50       Sale $33.00          Case $383

Unusually for Penfolds, all three varieties are matured independently, owing to their tendency to mature at different times on the vine and the need to mature under different conditions in the barrel.   Mourvèdre will often contribute a unique combination of violet-like floral notes and a range of earthy, savoury complexities. Structurally it can be lean and sinewy, providing a worthy frame upon which shiraz and grenache can sit. Grenache is typically lighter in colour and body, presenting the perfume of the wine and is often the first component noticed when the wine is poured. Shiraz provides the body and shape of the wine.   Bin 138 is more of a fruit-driven style than the other Bin wines and displays a chalkier tannin texture. Its rich, earthy nature becomes more nuanced with age.

2009 Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon                          

Price: $337.50    Sale $297.00       Case $3443

Bin 169 was created to reflect Penfolds contemporary winemaking approach emphasising both regionality and maturation of Cabernet Sauvignon in fine grained French oak. The Penfolds Bin 169 is a style that is immediately Penfolds, whilst simultaneously illustrative of its ongoing search for diversity and style separation. An honest reflection of the region and a testament of Penfolds’ longstanding commitment to the vineyards of Coonawarra.

2010 Penfolds Bin 389 CAB/Shiraz                          

Price: $75.00       Sale $66.00          Case $765

2011 Penfolds Bin 389 Cab/Shiraz                        

Price: $75.00       Sale $66.00          Case $765

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is the classic South Australian red wine: a magical marriage between elegant cabernet sauvignon and generous shiraz.  With thick skins, royal purple in colour, and elegant flavours derived from ideal grape-growing conditions, cabernet sauvignon provides the structure and palate length. Shiraz grapes, akin to small black pearls, provide the intensity, opulence and flesh.

First made in 1960, Bin 389 has a reputation for consistency and longevity and has earned its well-deserved moniker, ‘baby Grange’, from time spent maturing in oak hogsheads used the previous vintage for Grange. This much-loved, beautifully consistent style shows all the hallmarks and benefits of cross-varietal blending and for many wine drinkers, it is their preferred Penfolds wine.  Bin 389 is an Australian Grand Vin; a selection and interpretation of the best parcels from the best vineyard sites, by a winemaking team steeped in the ethos and tradition of a great Australian wine style.

 2010 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon    

Price: $67.50       Sale $59.40          Case $689

2011 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon                           

Price: $67.50       Sale $59.40          Case $689

Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon was developed by former Penfolds Chief Winemaker John Duval, in response to market demand for a versatile cabernet sauvignon style that could be enjoyed for immediate drinking, or could develop well in the cellar.  With a couple of notable exceptions, quality cabernet sauvignon has only been widely available for a matter of decades. Many of these vineyards are entering the mature phase of their productive life and there is now a rich source of high quality fruit for Penfolds winemakers to draw from.   The objective with Bin 407 has always been to promote cabernet’s varietal character, in tandem with the Penfolds house style.   Providing a lovely contrast to the more powerfully structured Bin 707, Bin 407 is a restrained and elegant cabernet sauvignon style with clear, varietal black-currant/cassis aromas, fine-grained firm tannins and underlying cedar/savoury oak.

2010 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon                    

Price: $337.50    Sale $297.00       Case $3443

Bin 707 is Penfolds' Cabernet Sauvignon version of Grange: ripe,intensely-flavoured fruit; completing fermentation and maturation in new oak; fully expressing a Penfolds understanding of multi-vineyard, multi-region fruit sourcing.Named by an ex-Qantas marketer, Bin 707 was first vintaged in 1964. The wine was not made from 1970 to 1975 when fruit was directed to other wines, nor in 1981, 1995, 2000 or 2003 (when fruit of the required style and quality was not available). Fullbodied and with proven cellaring potential, Bin 707 has a secure place among the ranks of Australia's finest Cabernets.

2011 Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet/Shiraz                                

Price: $21.00       Sale $18.48          Case $215

2012 Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet/Shiraz                       

Price: $21.00       Sale $18.48          Case $215

First vintaged in 2003, Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz was introduced to satisfy a burgeoning interest in early drinking cabernet sauvignon shiraz a classic Australian wine style which has caught the attention of export markets.  Penfolds Bin wines were originally numbered to represent their initial post-bottling location; however recent additions have been numbered to suggest associations. Bin 8 for instance, is matured in oak previously used for other Bin wines containing the same number; Bin 389, Bin 128 and Bin 28. The figure eight is also a geometric shape of equal parts, perhaps symbolically mirroring the equity between cabernet sauvignon and shiraz.   Notwithstanding the final blend of components, each variety contributes equally to this wine’s overall character. The cabernet sauvignon proffers a perfumed, elegant structure, which partners perfectly with the more generous, richly flavoured shiraz.

2012 Penfolds Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon

Price: $21.00       Sale $18.48          Case $215

The 2012 Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon highlights the art of multi-regional blending, yet it is more contemporary in style compared to the celebrated Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine contains fruit sourced from vineyards across South Australia with a significant portion sourced from the ancient soils of McLaren Vale, and spent 12 months in French and American oak hogsheads.

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Cabernet Sauvignon       

Price: $15.00       Sale $13.20          Case $153

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Chardonnay      

Price: $15.00       Sale $13.20          Case $153

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Riesling       

Price: $15.00       Sale $13.20          Case $153 

The Penfolds Thomas Hyland range is named after Thomas Francis Hyland, a Victorian Civil Service Officer who joined the family business soon after marrying Christopher and Mary Penfold’s daughter, Georgina. In 1895, following Mary Penfold’s passing Thomas took full responsibility for the winery business.  Under Hyland’s stewardship the Penfolds business grew to account for one-third of South Australia’s entire wine production during 1896 – a remarkable testament to his unyielding vision and incomparable work ethic.  The Thomas Hyland range neatly follows the Penfolds philosophy of multi-regional blending, yet is also inextricably linked to Adelaide – the birthplace of Penfolds and a truly great wine city surrounded by some of the finest vineyards in Australia. The diverse climates of the various wine regions within the Adelaide zone grow grapes that display freshness, intense fruit definition, richness of flavour and balance.  The Thomas Hyland range of wines, proudly sourced from the region where Penfolds was first established in 1844, honours Thomas’s vision and determination, which laid the foundations for the renowned Penfolds winery of today.

Penfolds Club Port 

Price: $14.50       Sale $12.76          Case $148

Australia's most popular fortified wine is a tawny noted for it's mellowness and consistency. A blend of vintages oak matured at Penfolds' Kalimna cellars, in the Barrossa Valley.  Critical Acclaim  (89 Points) "Very spicy, sporting caramel, cinnamon and tarry flavors, sweet and silky on the long finish."  Wine Spectator

 

St Henri Shiraz - Grange's Ulter Ego

St. Henri was created by the late Max Schubert around the same time as Grange and is also a blend of South Australia's best Shiraz vines but it is aged in large neutral barrels.  While Grange is now seen as the quintessential Australian wine, John Davoren's work with St. Henri is of equal importance. Indeed both these wines set new standards for their day with St. Henri establishing an elegant, perfumed style based on fruit definition and maturation in old oak.  Originally the wines were called 'Penfolds St. Henri Claret', but since 1991, with the release of the 1989 vintage, St. Henri has been labeled varietally. Like Grange, the wines have always been Shiraz driven, with small varying percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Nowadays St. Henri is a multi-district blend drawing Shiraz from the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, the foothills of the Adelaide Hills, and Langhorne Creek. Cabernet Sauvignon, which provides firmness and structure to the St. Henri style, is sourced from the Barossa Valley, Coonawarra and Bordertown.

2009 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz South Australia                                             

Price: $97.50       Sale $85.80

(93+ Points) Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2009 St Henri Shiraz is slated for release on May 1, 2013. It is a little closed at the moment though reveals earthy aromas of warm berries, some mulberries and Chinese dried plums over notes of meat, black olive, coffee and tree bark. Richly concentrated and complex with layered, savory flavors, it is structured by firm, grainy tannins and is finishing long. It needs time to develop further. Drink it from 2015 to 2025+.   Wine Advocate

2005 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz South Australia

Price: $65.00    Your Price: $57.20 Quantity in Stock: 6

(90 points) The 2005 St. Henri Shiraz is matured for 16 months in large, seasoned oak vats and includes 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It exhibits a floral-accented perfume along with nutmeg, cinnamon, licorice, and blueberry. Medium-bodied and impeccably balanced, it displays a complex array of fruit and spice flavors leading to a lengthy, pure finish. Drink this stylish effort over the next 10-12 years. Wine Advocate # 186 Dec 2009

2004 Penfolds Shiraz St Henri South Australia Magnums

Price: $175.00    Your Price: $154.00 Quantity in Stock: 3

2004 Penfolds Shiraz St Henri South Australia

Price: $90.00    Your Price: $79.20 Quantity in Stock: 2

(90 Points) Open-textured, medium-bodied and distinctive for its coffee-accented blackberry and black olive flavors, finishing with fine tannins. Best from 2011 through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. Wine Spectator Oct 15, 2008

2002 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz South Australia

Price: $89.00    Your Price: $78.32 Quantity in Stock: 11

(92 points) A classic effort, the 2002 Shiraz St. Henri (91% Shiraz and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon) was aged 14 months in old 1,460 liter vats. First introduced in 1953, the St. Henri offering is considered to be a quintessential old Southern Australian-styled red. The 2002 was sourced from the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, and the Fleurieu Peninsula. This stunningly rich, distinctive Shiraz offers up scents of Provencal herbs, bay leaves, blackberries, black currants, new saddle leather, and loads of meaty characteristics. Rich, texturally opulent, and soft, this heady offering should drink well for 10-12 years. It is also a very good bargain in the scheme of Penfolds pricing. Wine Advocate # 167 Oct 2006

 

Penfolds Magill Estate

The Magill Estate is one of the only single vineyard wines that Penfolds makes today.  The historic and heritage-protected Penfolds Magill Estate is one of the few single vineyards in the world located within city boundaries.  Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz was developed after the vineyard was saved from being engulfed by urban development, with a single estate wine being compelling justification for the continued use of this vineyard (by then, just 5.2 hectares of the 120 hectares which once covered an entire hillside). A meager 350 cases of this wine are exported to the U.S.

2000 Penfolds Shiraz Magill Estate Australia

Price: $79.00    Your Price: $69.52 Quantity in Stock: 6

(90 Points) The classy 2000 Shiraz Magill Estate exhibits an excellent bouquet of black currants, raspberries, white flowers, and oak in a subtle yet authoritatively rich style that oozes class, elegance, and breed. Built on finesse along with flavor authority as opposed to power, muscle, and over the top alcohol, this medium-bodied beauty is best consumed over the next decade.

2002 Penfolds Shiraz Magill Estate Australia

Price: $59.00    Your Price: $51.92 Quantity in Stock: 6

(90 Points) The 2002 Shiraz Magill Estate (a single vineyard cuvee whose debut vintage was 1983) spent 15 months in primarily new French oak and some larger American hogsheads. It possesses sweet aromas of vanillin, white chocolate, cassis, and flowers. Medium to full-bodied, expansive, pure, and nicely textured, this complex beauty is somewhat European in its restraint and elegance. Enjoy it over the next 10-15 years. Wine Advocate #161, Oct 2005

 

Penfolds RWT Shiraz

RWT (Red Wine Trial) was created in 1997 by John Duval and is one of the first wines to be aged in 100% new French oak.  RWT draws fruit from 20 to 100 year-old vineyards arcing across the west and north-west of the Barossa Valley, mostly independently grown. The best vineyards produce fruit of voluptuous intensity, ripe tannins, and juicy flavours. The RWT Shiraz has a very seductive style with a plum/blueberry fruit profile and fine ripe tannins underpinned by savory French oak.  Since its first vintage in 1997, collectors have recognized the sheer class of RWT. Already the wine has a strong secondary market following, illustrating its collect ability and cellaring potential.

2011 Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa

Price: $149.00    Sale $131.12       Case $1520

(93+ Points) Aged in 51% new oak, all of which is French, the deep purple-black colored 2011 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz reveals a gorgeous, black fruit and warm blueberry nose enhanced by violets and pepper notes with hints of tree bark and earth. Medium to full-bodied with a great amount of expressive flavor framed by firm, grainy tannins, the oak pokes out a bit on the long finish. Drink 2015 to 2028+.   eRobertParker.com #211, Feb 2014

2008 Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa

Price: $126.75   Your Price: $111.54

(93+ Points) Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2008 RWT Shiraz presents quite a lot of cedar over notes of pure blackberry and black cherry fruit with hints of cinnamon stick, toast and underbrush. Medium bodied, concentrated and taut in the mouth, it has firm, grainy tannins and crisp acidity, finishing long. A little disjointed at this stage, it needs time to marry and should drink best 2014 to 2023+. eRobertParker.com #199, Feb 2012

2007 Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa

Price: $156.00    Your Price: $137.28 Quantity in Stock: 4

(93 Points) The 2007 RWT Shiraz is 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz matured 13 months in French hogsheads, 71% new. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it presents youthfully mute aromas of warm blackberries, stewed plums, kirsch, cedar and cloves with an array of Indian spices opening out with air. In the full-bodied mouth it gives very firm, coarsely grained tannins, very crisp acid and good concentration, finishing long and chewy. It should be more open and approachable after a year or two in bottle, drinking to 2022 . Wine Advocate # 192, Dec 2010

2006 Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa

Price: $149.00    Your Price: $131.12 Quantity in Stock: 5

(95 Points) The 2006 RWT Shiraz was aged for 14 months in 70% new French oak hogsheads. The winery describes its style as opulent and fleshy compared to Grange's muscular and assertive personality. Opaque purple in color, it offers aromas of Asian spices, beef juice, toast, blueberry, and licorice. Rich, fleshy, and round, it has plenty of underlying tannin, impeccable balance, and a long, pure finish. It will deliver prime drinking from 2014 to 2030. Wine Advocate # 186, Dec 2009

2002 Penfolds Shiraz RWT

Price: $75.00    Your Price: $66.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(93) The outstanding 2002 Shiraz RWT is a 100% Shiraz, single region (Barossa) offering that typically spends 14 months in a combination of two-thirds new and one-third old French oak. Expansive and rich with a broad texture, and a complex nose of white chocolate, raspberries, black cherries, and licorice, this spicy, rich, medium-bodied, elegant 2002 should drink well for 10-12 years. Wine Advocate #161 (Oct 2005)

 

Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon - The Rarest of the Penfold's Collectibles

The 1964 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon was Penfolds’ first commercial release of a single cabernet-based wine. Today, Bin 707 is justifiably regarded as one of Australia’s most important cabernets.  The winemaking philosophy and barrel maturation of Bin 707 is almost identical to Grange. The Bin 707 style combines intense varietal definition with new American oak to produce wines of great richness, harmony and concentration.

2005 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia

Price: $225.00    Your Price: $198.00 Quantity in Stock: 12

(90 points) Firm in texture, with a grip to the ripe red cherry and black currant flavors, which manage to poke through the tannins and cedary tobacco overtones and linger on the finish. Best from 2010 through 2015. 1,155 cases imported. “HS Issue: Oct 15, 2008

2004 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia

Price: $244.00    Your Price: $214.72 Quantity in Stock: 13

(92 points) Polished and ripe, with sweet spices from toasty oak weaving through the detailed currant, blackberry and cream flavors, lingering effortlessly on the beautifully formed, persistent finish. Not a big wine, but this has tremendous class. Drink now through 2016. 951 cases imported. HS Issue: Sep 30, 2007

2001 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707

Price: $247.00    Your Price: $217.36 Quantity in Stock: 7

(91 points)  Rich in texture, with a refined approach to a powerful bolt of cedary, earthy, slightly leathery blackberry and currant fruit, hinting at mint and a touch of eucalyptus on the long, generous finish. Drink now through 2012. 6,000 cases made. –HS, Wine Spectator Issue: Sep 30, 2004

1998 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia

Price: $289.00    Your Price: $254.32 Quantity in Stock: 1

1997 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia  

Price: $269.00    Your Price: $236.72 Quantity in Stock: 2

1997 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM

Price: $530.00    Your Price: $466.40 Quantity in Stock: 1

(91 points)  Generous in flavor, supple in texture, delivering a ripe mouthful of mint-shaded black cherry and currant flavors that linger on the open finish, echoing mint and fruit. Tannins are beautifully integrated. Best from 2005 through 2012. 15,884 cases made. –HS

1996 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM

Price: $525.00    Your Price: $462.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 points)  Deeply colored, this 707 Cabernet offers notes of ripe blackcurrant, warm black cherries and mulberries with a fragrant undercurrent of sandalwood. The palate is voluptuously fruited with firm, grainy tannins, crisp acid and a long spicy finish. It makes for a great drop of Cabernet now but still has plenty to give.   Wine Advocate    In Asia    Jan 2012

1990 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM

Price: $594.00    Your Price: $522.72 Quantity in Stock: 1

(94 points)  Very deep garnet in color, the nose is intensely scented with aromas of dried cherries and blackcurrant cordial over a pleasantly meaty / earthy undercurrent plus whiffs of menthol and dried lavender. Concentrated in the medium to full bodied mouth, it has a good amount of enlivening acid cutting through the dense, evolved fruit with a high level of approachable / softening tannins and long finish.  Wine Advocate    In Asia    Jan 2012

1982 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon MAGNUM

Price: $594.00    Your Price: $522.72 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

Penfolds Grange

2008 Penfolds Grange Southeast Australia

Price: $850.00    Sale Price: $699.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(100 points)  Deep purple-black in color, the 2008 Grange puts forward a very complex nose packed with aromas of mulberries, layers of baking spices, cloves and cinnamon with nuances of minced meat, anise, potpourri and whiffs of dried mint and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, taut and very spicy in the mouth, it shows touches of sandalwood and Chinese five spice complementing the layers of dark fruit flavors. It is framed by firm, grainy tannins and a refreshing acid line before finishing very long with aniseed and lingering blackberry preserves notes. This is clearly a wonderfully opulent and a magic vintage for this label. Drink it from 2018 to 2035+.   Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013

2004 Penfolds Shiraz Grange Magnums

Price: $975.00    Your Price: $858.00 Quantity in Stock: 2

(99 Points) The 2004 vintage was outstanding in Barossa, McLaren Vale, and Magill, the regions where the grapes were sourced for the marvelous 2004 Grange. It contains 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 16 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it displays a superb nose of wood smoke, Asian spices, incense, game, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Medium to full-bodied, satin textured, with deeply layered, succulent blackberry, plum, and chocolate flavors, it has the structure and complexity to merit extended cellaring of a decade and more. The winery estimates a drinking curve of 2016 to 2050; I'd be a bit more conservative on the long end of the range. It will ultimately be seen as one of the great vintages of Grange.  Wine Advocate #186 Dec 2009

2003 Penfolds Grange South Australia

Price: $425.00    Your Price: $374.00 Quantity in Stock: 18

2003 Penfolds Grange South Australia MAGNUM

Price: $794.00    Your Price: $698.72 Quantity in Stock: 1

(94 Points) Supple, ripe and generous with its blueberry, plum and mocha flavors, riding easily over finely wrought tannins and extending into the long, expressive finish. Rich, complex and evocative, this has plenty of flavor packed into a beautifully balanced package. Drink now through 2020. 680 cases imported. –HS Wine Spectator Issue: Oct 15, 2008

2002 Penfolds Grange South Australia

Price: $498.00    Your Price: $438.24 Quantity in Stock: 25

(98 Points) Last but not least is Australia's most famous wine, the 2002 Shiraz Grange. The 2002 version was sourced from 77.5% Barossa Valley and 22.5% from McLaren Vale. Included in the blend is 1.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It spent 17 months in 100% new American oak. Opaque purple, it gives off an ethereal bouquet of violets, saddle leather, blueberry, blackberry, pencil lead, and chocolate. This is followed by a full-bodied wine with tremendous concentration, multiple layers of flavor, ripe tannins, and great balance. Thick and rich, with a 60-second finish, it will slowly blossom over the next 15-20 years and provide pleasure through 2050. It is a legend in the making! Penfolds, arguably Australia's most famous winery, continues to perform at a high level under the leadership of Head Winemaker, Peter Gago. Wine Advocate # 173, Oct 2007

2001 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $939.00    Your Price: $826.32 Quantity in Stock: 1

2001 Penfolds Shiraz Grange

Price: $469.00    Your Price: $412.72 Quantity in Stock: 24

(98 Points) It is always a treat to taste Australia's most famous wine, Penfolds Grange cuvee (the word Hermitage has been dropped because of legal issues). The 2001 Grange is one of the few vintages of this cuvee to be composed of 100% Shiraz (the others being 1951, 1952, 1963, 1999, and 2000). Aged 17 months in 100% American oak, and tipping the scales at 14.5% alcohol, the 2001 is undeniably one of the top examples of this wine. At this stage, it appears to eclipse the 1998 and 1996. Inky/blue/purple to the rim, with a stunning perfume of blueberries, blackberries, chocolate, graphite, and earth, it boasts good acidity, huge tannins, magnificent concentration, and a multilayered, textured mouthfeel. It is a big, but impeccably well-balanced Shiraz that should shed some of its structure and tannin over the next 4-5 years, and be at its best between 2010-2030+. Wine Advocate # 167, October 2006

2000 Penfolds Grange (Magnum)

Price: $849.00    Your Price: $747.12 Quantity in Stock: 1

2000 Penfolds Grange

Price: $390.00    Your Price: $343.20 Quantity in Stock: 24

(93)Penfolds renowned 2000 Grange is only the fifth vintage to be made from 100% Shiraz (the others being 1951, 1952, 1963, and 1999). It is also, atypically, 100% Barossa fruit. While it is not considered to be one of the great Granges, the 2000 exhibits outstanding potential, and is much more accessible than usual. One of the top wines I tasted from this vintage (which has had to take a back seat to subsequent years), its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of blackberries, cherries, chocolate, and earth. With decent acidity, ripe, silky tannin, superb intensity, wonderful equilibrium, and a more open-knit, softer, accessible style than usual, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15-16 years. While this is no wimpy wine, it is an ideal example for readers who are unwilling to invest the patience required for the big, blockbuster Granges. Wine Advocate # 161 Oct 2005

1999 Penfolds Grange

Price: $438.00    Your Price: $385.44 Quantity in Stock: 46

1999 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $875.00    Your Price: $770.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(94-96 Points) Only the third Grange to be made from 100% Shiraz , the 1999 Grange is superb. The color is inky purple. The wine shows unformed but gorgeously sweet notes of blackberries intermixed with smoke, licorice, and asphalt. This is a wine of great intensity, sweet tannin, voluptuous texture, and a spectacularly long finish. Patience will be required, as it will not be released until May 1, 2004. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.  The Wine Advocate

1998 Penfolds Grange South Australia (Magnum)

Price: $1115.00    Your Price: $981.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

1998 Penfolds Grange South Australia

Price: $525.00    Your Price: $462.00 Quantity in Stock: 20

(99 Points) The 1998 Grange will be legendary. A blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, it tips the scales at a whopping 14.5% alcohol. The inky/purple color is followed by an extraordinarily intense nose of creme de cassis intermixed with blueberry and floral notes. As the wine sits in the glass, aromas of meat, plums, and cola also emerge. It is a seamless effort with sweet tannin, well-integrated acidity, sensational extract, and layer upon layer of blackberry and cassis fruit that stain the palate and fill the mouth. Its harmony, freshness, and remarkable length (the finish lasts nearly a minute) suggest an all-time classic. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030. Wine Advocate # 148 August 2003

1997 Penfolds Grange Magnum

Price: $875.00    Your Price: $770.00 Quantity in Stock: 3

1997 Penfolds Grange

Price: $437.00    Your Price: $384.56 Quantity in Stock: 10

(94 points)  The 1997 Grange (a blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon) looks to be a classic Grange, although slightly softer and more forward than the backward 1996. The saturated purple-colored 1997 offers a gorgeously sweet nose of blackberry liqueur, cherries, camphor, chocolate, plums, and mocha. The wine is opulently-textured, extremely soft, layered, and seductive, with Grange's tell-tale personality well-displayed, but in a seamless, seductive style. This is a superb Grange that can hold its own against the more heralded 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2022.    Wine Advocate #143    Oct 2002

1996 Penfolds Grange

Price: $394.00    Your Price: $346.72 Quantity in Stock: 5

1996 Penfolds Grange Magnum

Price: $875.00    Your Price: $770.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(95 points) Deep garnet colored, 1996 Grange is scented with stewed plums, warm cherries and mince meat with hints of Ceylon tea, black olives and Chinese five spice. Medium-full bodied and with a generous amount of flesh on the palate, it gives very crisp acid and a medium-firm level of grainy tannins, finishing long. The layered complexity of this wine is just beginning to emerge, promising better things to come. In Asia Wine Advocate Jan 2012

1995 Penfolds Grange Magnum Price: $1099.00    Your Price: $967.12 Quantity in Stock: 1

1995 Penfolds Grange

Price: $549.00    Your Price: $483.12 Quantity in Stock: 2

(92 points) An impressive Grange that may ultimately prove to be underrated, like many wines from this vintage, the 1995, a blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, exhibits a saturated plum/purple color and a sweet blackberry liqueur nose intermixed with cassis, licorice, and new oak. The wine is textured, jammy, full-bodied, with impressive levels of extract, glycerin, and black fruit flavors. It is long, ripe, with unobtrusive acidity and tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2018. eRobertParker.com # E2002 Feb 2002

1993 Penfolds Grange

Price: $385.00    Your Price: $338.80 Quantity in Stock: 2

(91 points)  1993 was a very light harvest because of excessive rainfall and mild growing conditions. This wine performed well, although it would not appear to have the nuances of the finest vintages of Grange. The wine, a blend of 86% Shiraz and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, has an opaque purple color, a sweet nose of black currants intermixed with cedar, and earthy, almost truffle-like notes intermixed with some camphor. The wine is full-bodied, dense, somewhat monolithic, but very concentrated, powerful, and long. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2018.  eRobertParker.com, Feb 2002

1992 Penfolds Grange (Magnum)

Price: $764.00    Your Price: $672.32 Quantity in Stock: 1

1992 Penfolds Grange

Price: $420.00    Your Price: $369.60 Quantity in Stock: 3

(92 points)  This is a very aromatic Grange that seems to be the product of a vintage where the wines are showing extremely well young. It is dense purple, with a sweet blackberry/cherry nose and some subtle cedar and licorice in the background, unctuously textured, thick, full, without as many nuances of some of the greatest vintages of Grange, but very concentrated and dense. Anticipated maturity: now-2017.  eRobertParker.com,  Feb 2002

1989 Penfolds Grange

Price: $569.00    Your Price: $500.72 Quantity in Stock: 1

(93 points)  A very hedonistic, almost decadent style of Grange, this blend of 91% Shiraz and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon from three grape sources - Kalimna in the Barossa, Penfolds' other sources in the Barossa, and McLaren Vale - is a gorgeously opulent, almost Pomerol-like Grange with an over-ripe characteristic to the fruit. Cherry liqueur intermixed with cranberry and cassis presented in a seductive, full-bodied, very soft, forward style is truly not the classic Grange in the sense of having huge structure and massive concentration, but this wine is loaded, very corpulent, and fleshy. The wine is going to last for up to two decades, but it will be uncommonly succulent and delicious to drink young, as it was several months ago. Among the young vintages of Grange, this is perhaps the most flattering wine that they have produced over the last 20 years, at least for such a relatively young wine. Anticipated maturity: now-2018.    eRobertParker.com     Feb 2002

1985 Penfolds Grange Shiraz South Australia

Price: $480.00    Sale Price: $400.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(90 Points) Considered a more "restrained" Grange, this wine has balance but a somewhat foursquare/monolithic character with dry, astringent tannin in the finish, hence the question mark. The color is still a healthy dense purple, and the wine shows the tell-tale peppery, asphalt, earthy, creme de cassis characteristics, but the tannin seems to be increasingly problematic. As always, it is still a young wine, so the question that begs to be answered with time is, "Is it just unevolved and backward, or is it too tannic?" eRobertParker.com, Feb 2002

 

1988 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $875.00    Your Price: $770.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(91 points) A blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, this was considered to be "an uncharacteristically soft, fruity Grange." Everyone at the tasting agreed with those comments. This wine shows a syrupy creme de cassis, earthy note, some pepper, and caramel. It is somewhat soft and accessible for such a relatively young Grange, but there is plenty of structure and tannin in the finish. It is certainly perfumed and more evolved than some of its siblings that are actually older, chronologically speaking. This wine has sweet, full-bodied, plum, cherry, and cassis flavors, with some distinct truffle and asphalt notes. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2016. eRobertParker.com Feb 2002

1986 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $1469.00    Your Price: $1292.72 Quantity in Stock: 1

(98+ points)  One of my favorite wines from Penfolds, the 1986 (a blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon) is one of the most powerful Granges produced (14+% alcohol). At age 23, it reminds me of the way it tasted around 9 years of age. Inky/purple to the rim with an extraordinary perfume of sweet licorice, crushed pepper, blackberry liqueur, camphor, and barbecue spices, this sensationally full-bodied, concentrated, layered 1986 is still an infant in terms of its ultimate potential. It is remarkable how this wine has aged, and it’s hard to believe how certain wine geeks will subscribe to the aging ability of the Grange, but don’t believe the same is true for other old vine Shiraz wines from the Barossa and McLaren Vale. It just doesn’t make any sense. The 1986 is one of the greatest Granges for my palate, and it appears to still have 25-30 years of upside. 

1985 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $865.00    Your Price: $761.20 Quantity in Stock: 1

1985 Penfolds Grange

Price: $480.00    Your Price: $422.40 Quantity in Stock: 2

(90 Points) Considered a more "restrained" Grange, this wine has balance but a somewhat foursquare/monolithic character with dry, astringent tannin in the finish, hence the question mark. The color is still a healthy dense purple, and the wine shows the tell-tale peppery, asphalt, earthy, creme de cassis characteristics, but the tannin seems to be increasingly problematic. As always, it is still a young wine, so the question that begs to be answered with time is, "Is it just unevolved and backward, or is it too tannic?" eRobertParker.com, Feb 2002

1984 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $974.00    Your Price: $857.12 Quantity in Stock: 1

(94 Points)  The best showing ever for this wine from my perspective, this blend of 95% Shiraz and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is considered a relatively forward, accessible style of Grange. The color is still a dark plum/purple, and the wine shows plenty of sweet cassis, with notes of chocolate and toasty oak. The wine is opulent and luscious, with great intensity, full body, and fabulous extract. The acidity seems relatively low and integrated, and the tannins quite ripe. Drink it over the next 12-18 years.    eRobertParker.com    Feb 2002

1982 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

Price: $1050.00    Your Price: $924.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

1982 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

Price: $695.00    Your Price: $611.60 Quantity in Stock: 3

(97 Points)  The 1982 is another superb example of that. One of the jammiest, most precocious Granges when it was released, it has never gone through a closed stage and continues to drink beautifully. A full-bodied, opulent Grange, it reveals an inky/purple color to the rim as well as a beautiful nose of crushed blueberries, blackberries, smoke, toast, roasted herbs, and road tar. This dense, plush, expansive, seamless, seductive 1982 has not changed much since I had it nearly a decade ago.  Grange, Penfolds’ flagship wine, is, by many accounts, the most renowned and world-famous wine produced in Australia, and these six vintages from my cellar all acquitted themselves well. These wines are almost always Shiraz, but many vintages include less than 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are cross-appellations blends from vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale.  Wine Advocate #183, Jun 2009

1980 Penfolds Grange

Price: $699.00    Your Price: $615.12 Quantity in Stock: 1

(94+ points)  The least impressive, but still a very great wine, is the dark garnet-hued 1980. Still a young wine at age 29, it exhibits massive earthy, meaty, bacon fat notes intermixed with notions of scorched earth, blackberries, currants, pepper, and spice. Full and rich with slightly rustic tannins, it has a good 20 years of life ahead of it.      Wine Advocate #183    Jun 2009

1979 Penfolds Grange MAGNUM

Price: $999.00    Your Price: $879.12 Quantity in Stock: 1

(90 points)  A blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, Max Schubert commented in 1993 that this vintage was "not quite up to the mark." For technicians, this was the last vintage to use white capsules on the bottle, with Penfolds moving to the crimson red foils in 1980. The wine is deep ruby garnet with an unusual nose of root vegetables mixed with cola, caramel, black currant, and tar. Relatively attenuated in the finish, but sweet on the attack, this wine seems to be narrowing out, with the tannins becoming increasingly dominant. If this is typical of the direction the evolution of this wine is taking, it is not reassuring. The wine is certainly still full, but may ultimately tend to dry out rather than blossom and prove expansive. This is a vintage to monitor closely.   eRobertParker.com    Feb 2002

 

The rarest of the rare - Penfolds Bin A series

2004 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin Block 42 South Australia Price: $823.00    Your Price: $724.24 Quantity in Stock: 12

(97 points) It's not known exactly when the Kalimna Block 42 was planted but there are suggestions that the vines existed during the latter part of the 19th Century. They could be the oldest Cabernet vines in the world, although the famous Metala Cabernet vineyard in Langhorne Creek was known to have been planted in 1891 so could very well pre-date Kalimna. Regardless, I've been there and the vines are truly old. Only very rarely does Penfolds release this as a single vineyard wine, when the Cabernet is so fabulous it can't possibly be blended. The 2004 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon was such a vintage. Matured in 100% new American hogsheads for 13 months, it displays a very deep garnet-purple color and profoundly earthy / gamey aromas over black cherry preserves, creme de cassis plus scents of leather, pencil shavings, Mediterranean herbs, black truffles, underbrush and black olives. The elegant, medium-bodied palate is tightly-knit and led by structure with a high level of grainy tannins, very high acid and a long earthy finish. Approachable now, it should continue to evolve and drink to 2025 . Wine Advocate # 192 Dec 2010

1996 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Block 42 Kalimna Southeast Australia

Price: $499.00    Your Price: $439.12 Quantity in Stock: 9

(93 points) Planted around 1888, to visit the Penfolds' Kalimna vineyard is to realize how very special this block of ancient is - it exudes history. A single block 42 wine has only been made from the fruit in 6 vintages: 1953, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1996 and 2004. I tried it twice within the last year and both times it was clear the wine is still youthful and has more to give, though this bottle was faring slightly better. Very deep garnet-black colored, it offers pronounced menthol and eucalypt notes over warm blackcurrant and spices, with hints of dried roses, lavender and Provence herbs. Solidly structured in the mouth, it has a firm level of chewy tannins and crisp acid with plenty of mid-palate flesh and a long finish. Built to go on and on. Wine Advocate: In Asia Jan 2012

2004 Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Bin 60A (Magnum)

Price: $2695.00    Your Price: $2371.60 Quantity in Stock: 1

2004 Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Bin 60A

Price: $1295.00    Your Price: $1139.60 Quantity in Stock: 6

(99 points) The release of the 2004 Bin 60A following the epic 1962 Bin 60A is old news now, but the wine was looking very fine indeed when I tasted it so I thought I'd add a note. Blended of 56% Coonawarra Cabernet from Block 20 and 44% Barossa Shiraz from Koonunga Hill Block 56G and Kalimna Blocks 4 and 14, the wine was matured in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 13 months. Very deep purple-black in color, it offers restrained notes of game, smoked meat, earth, blackberry and black currant liqueurs, yeast, marmite-toast plus whiffs of dried lavender, cedar and bark. Very crisp, very tight and very firm, this taut medium-bodied wine is still all structure at this stage, going very long and earthy in the finish. Give it time and consider broaching it from 2014. It should drink well into the 2030s if not beyond. Wine Advocate # 192 Dec 2010

1990 Penfolds Bin 90A Cabernet Shiraz

Price: $375.00    Your Price: $330.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 points)  Deep garnet in color, this wine reveals relatively youthful creme de cassis and blackberry preserve aromas with hints of pencil shavings, dried mint and coffee grounds. Medium-full bodied, it is generously fruited with a solid backbone of fine, finely grained tannins and crisp acid, finishing long with lingering black berry and earth layers.   Wine Advocate    In Asia     Jan 2012