April 15, 2024 - Initially porty. Did open some after an hour-ish. Next day porty again.
January 1, 2024 - Dark garnet. Cassis nose with some oak. Palate shows cassis again with sweetness perhaps slightly too prominent although there is an acidic spine that balances and lifts the wine through the mid-palate and medium length final. Medium to generous body. Tannins well integrated although oak is perhaps too prominent here for some.
Very enjoyable and drinking well. I doubt it will improve much although it will be interesting to see if there is some further resolving of the oak notes.
October 14, 2023 - Very nice cab/shiraz. Drinking well now but likely has 3-5 years left in it
August 2, 2023 - NobleRottersSydney - 2010 & prior (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} [DavidH] Blackberry and Ribena nose with subtle vanilla oak. A bit of a formula, but it works. Palate of black fruit, faint coconut. Doesn’t have the 20-year integration you used to find in last century’s vintages; lacks the polish somehow. Medium/full weight, low/medium powdery tannins. Medium length finish, but in a rough-and-ready way I don’t associate with this label. No real rush to drink this, but will it ever lose the edges?
July 22, 2023 - Beautiful 389. It needed to breath for 90 minutes. It had a slight bottle odour that disappeared completely with breathing. The wine still is a deep dark red colour. The wine was balanced with identifiable Cabernet flavours and drying tannins. It had lovely richness but not overripe. Drinking really well now and will hold up for at least another 5+ years
April 14, 2023 - Decanted with surprisingly light sediment, last tasted over 7 years ago, bottle#6 of 7.
This bottle was spot on tonight, though initially quite tart it quickly evolved to show a complex assortment of fruit, minerals and toasty oak, with a smooth, extremely long pleasant finish. According to CT, this bottle has been personally cellared since 12/07 and to the best of my recollection has not moved since. I will not be in a hurry to drink my last bottle
April 11, 2023 - After tasting this with the Coravin quite recently I thought I'd give it a good angry decant to see if some of that reticence could be blown away...fortunately it could and this displayed ripe berries, plums, touch of blackcurrant, plenty of vanilla and caramel oak with sweet spices in support, generous and ripe. One of those bottles that seems to evaporate before the eyes...
February 18, 2023 - Þvílík sorg að þetta skuli hafa verið síðasta flaskan. Síðast smakkað 2014, þá mjög gott. Nú enn betra. Mjög fjölbreytt angan. Sterkir kirsuberjatónar í bragði, einnig vanilla og kókos. Langt og þétt eftirbragð. Hefði örugglega enst nokkur ár enn.
February 9, 2023 - Fantastic wine
Dickie thought it was gone off but it was beautiful
February 8, 2023 - I have always had a problem with Penfolds; IMO they produce far too many different cuvees and bottlings for me to discern any identifiable house style or give me any reason to buy the Penfolds brand without confusion. Chatters provided me this chance to experience their main mid market "baby Grange". This was a pleasant blend, more cab cassis and plums than shiraz black fruits, pepper or spice. Pleasant. Medium in both mouth feel and length. (Thanks Chatters.)