Faded fruit, long finish and soft tannins. Good but past peak, with no improvement over an hour; unable to verify whether this is down to bottle (storage) or the wine itself.
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Paired with Sassicaia 2003 & Lynch-Bages 1989, this Penfolds was more exuberant than the other 2. Still young age at 32. Plum, dark cherry. I decanted for about 2 hours. Could have been a little more. Gorgeous wine.
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This is a seriously good wine. It shows what Oz cabernet can do with the right fruit and skill. 31 years old and still plenty of life ahead. Lovely dusty developed cab nose, full on fruit on the front, well balanced through the middle and a long, long lovely finish. Absolutely no rush to drink this wine if you are lucky enough to have any left. I bought a dozen on release and still have several to enjoy over the next 10 years
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Decanted 3 hrs. Cork a bit iffy. Blackish red, dense, brown edge. Large bq w blackberries, dark cherries, touch of cedar, touch of herbal (lavender), sweet pipe tobacco. Rounded, well integrated tannins, elegant acidity, layers of ripe black fruit, very well balanced. Long aftertaste w complexity. Fully mature, but will last a few more years. Lovely!!
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double decanted 2 hrs. Solid cork. Nose surprisingly still a bit closed at first. About an hour later the wine had fully opened up. lovely soft fine grained tannins. Well balanced fruit that follows thru to a long finish. Very impressive for a 30 yr old cab. Fully developed but should hold for many years. Great wine
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Truly amazing wine. On opening it smelt of rich ripe blue berries and mulberries with vanilla and chocolate mixed in as well. It was airated and then had 2 hrs in a decanter. While it’s an old wine it showed no feebleness with great structure and breadth of flavours with numerous layers of fruit and oak integration. This wine had great length and texture and left you wanting another mouthful. It’s middle age in its life I think and I look forward to seeing my last one in a few more years.
A lovely wine but limited duration out of the bottle, starting to fade within a few hours. Perhaps a few more years of cellaring is possible, but better to drink this vintage now
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Perhaps lacking a tiny freshness but still hanging together beautifully for a while this age - impressive. Only a short decant. A touch flat but fruited and nice overall mouthfeel. Dark fruits and dry to wood spices.
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Very few Cab Sauvs at 29 years would be this fresh, balanced and satisfying.
A hypnotic nose of blue, black and red fruits, aniseed, coffee, wood smoke, mint, barnyard and baking spice fill the senses. Immediately your emotions are invoked. This is ultra premium fare. Glossy, uber-fine, silky tannins tantilize your palate. Such balance. And beautifully ripe blackberry, raspberry and plum notes emblazon the big pepper drive, and the long and detailed finish, complete with coconut oil and vanilla tones.
Simply devine. A Wozza 97.5/100 (4.7/5.0) from me. Drink 2015-2025. Such a shame recent Penfolds price inflation has taken the more recent 707s beyond all but the super wealthy.
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Tasted blind. At Chateau Davyd belated Bday Bordeaux celebration. Appearance fine sediments, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of chocolate, cassis, black cherries, dark red cherries, sarsparilla, minty herbs - eucalyptus with more air. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), plush velvety high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with layers of flavours of salty black olives, minty herbs, eucalyptus, black cherries, blackcurrants, dark red cherries, cassis, sarsparilla, spice, sweet chocolate. So many things that I lose track. Long velvety finish. Outstanding quality. Highly impressive. Drinking at peak now and feels like it can still hold at this plateau for a few more good years. Amazing longevity for this iconic Aussie Cab.
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Decanted for 30 mins. It was surprisingly European and delicious. After another hour or so, it began to pick up that sweetness that is more characteristic of Australian wines. If I had another, I would drink it soon and maybe with even less time in the decanter.
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Decanted for 7 hours before the ride began. Soft light colour with a hint of blood. Soft blackcurrant and blueberries on the nose. Extremely smooth & well balanced. Soft tannin's with a slight earthy finish. Short/medium length. A very nice drop. Shared with family at a combined B'day for 3. It's not going to develop further so it's ready to drink now.
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Dark red with lighter purple edges. Medium intense nose with intense concentration. Eucalyptus and rich berry fruit, hints of cassis, scorched earth and thyme. Long concentrated dark berry flavours finishing with a bit of menthol. Long tannic finish.
Decanted 30 minutes prior to serving. Drinking beautifully at one hour open. Opaque black heart of dark red lightens towards a burnt orange translucent rim. Menthol, cassis, raisins, dark chocolate initial thoughts rising from the glassware. Leather, blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate and mocha fine tannins intoxicate the palate and smooth the way to refreshing acidity through the endless finish, at 26 years of age.
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Deep dark crimson, purple edge. Plummy ripe blackcurrant bouquet with scents of cassis, blackberry jam, bitter chocolate, licorice, praline & vanilla. Full, deep, intense, generous, supple, opulent & rich, sweet black fruit flavors showing little development other than some softening of the once substantial ripe tannins, velvety extracts & fine balancing acidity; a harmonious wine with power & substance. Long, lush & sumptuous finish.
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double decanted for 2 hours before dinner. Vanilla dominant subtle oak nose. Very Penfolds. Great fruit. Balanced yet strong tannins for a 26 yr old Cab. Surprised by the heat at first, but the alcohol came into balance at about 3 hours. Long full finish. Great wine. Will develop further. No rush on this wine. Cork was solid and no ullage. Very nice wine
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Library Tasting with Geoff Kelly - 1990s - in memory of Ken Kirkpatrick (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Very dense colour. Creamy and cedary American oak. Spicy and mature palate with a soft finish. Tasted blind, this stuck out as classic Penfolds. The acid and rawness of the oak handling stick out on the end of the finish. This is massive, but for my tastes, currently unbalanced. Perhaps in 10 years the oak will marry with the fruit in a subtle manner, but currently, this is not the case. Still, this is impressive for its power of fruit expression, If not its subtlety of harmony.
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Keith's Blind Challenge 2015 (The Medlar, London): Blind. Dense, quite leggy, nicely dense and mineral. Cherry confiture. New world Cab Sauv. Alcoholic and leggy. Dense Coonawara. Not to my taste,but a good wine. ***(*)
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2005 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 13.5%} (Ronnie) Decanted at table. This was subtly but appreciably different to the first wine. It smelt a little clearer and more perfumed. On the palate it appeared to be slightly more tannic, which was a little odd, because this bottle was detectably cooler – 2-3C I reckon than the first. The wine shared absolutely the flavour spectrum of the first example; it was hardly different enough to call ‘contrast’. Just that little nuance. I wonder how much of the difference we identified was solely due to the temperature diference? Comparing these two bottles was like contrasting Pavarotti singing on Friday night with the same repertoire on Saturday…
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2005 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 13.5%} (Gordon) Double-decanted three hours prior. Fascinating tasting of a pair of well- (but separately) cellared bottles. First up; lovely currents, with a touch of twigs, herbs, basil. Sweet old US oak. Endlessly seductive aromas. The palate is a match; impeccably balanced; aging new-world cabernet (per the nose) seasoned with a little coconut. The texture is glossy and smooth; still with medium chalky tannins and medium acidity. Endless finish. Peerlessly aging great Australian cabernet. At peak, seems possible to hold longer but that’s taking a risk.
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Bottle @ Doodler. Thanks. Spicy black cherry, black raspberry, slight leather aroma. Moderate tannins. Dark chocolate, bright black cherry, blackberry flavor. Smooth and delicious
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Jason's Birthday Celebration (Tonny Restaurant & Pine Close): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, garnet colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of toasted oak, sweet blackberries and blackcurrant, dried leaves. Developing. On the palate, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol, mellow medium tannins, full body. Initially tasted tired and had a sour taste on the finish. However, after 1 hour in the decanter, this sour note disappeared and the wine seemed to come to life with more freshness. Medium+ flavor intensity, with flavours of toasted oak, sweet blackberries and blackcurrant, blueberries, prunes, dried leaves, graphite, and hints of chocolate. Pleasing mouth-feel. Long finish. Outstanding quality Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon that has lasted 24 years. I find it hard to predict how long more this wine could go. A very interesting and complex profile.
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The aroma of this wine was truly intoxicating. Extremely fruity and plummy with a hint of lime on the nose. Taste was complex, mellow (tired?), smooth, the tannins were settled, some chocolate and oak notes. Somewhat like a cross between Langmeil and an Elderton, but more refined. I loved the finish. Very easy to drink. Should drink up, I think this wine is at the brink of fading.
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Slightly tawny colour and clear rim. Gentle oak, coconut and black fruit on the nose. Blackcurrant flavour still evident, tannins very gentle, slightly acidic finish detracts from the overall experience.
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vanilla, lots of coconut butter, black fruits. Acidity was high initially but there was still a good amount of body and concentration. Later on some coffee notes and a little smoke. Died on the palate after about 2 hours.
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NobleRottersSydney - Best Oz vintages 90-02 (Alio's, Surry Hills): [13.5%, cork] {Gordon} Bottle 51271. Double-decanted a few hours before. Aged nose; classy. A kaleidescope of black fruits, vanilla, oak; but deeply and seductively aromatic. Palate is equally wonderful; the mix of cool and warm-climate cabernet flavours works a treat with rich sweet oak (not over-done), medium dusty tannins, and medium-full weight. All the palate is engaged by what is a fairly smooth texture; some at table felt it a little too soft. For me the more you sniffed and tasted, the more there was to this wine. Very special. Close to peak, surely, but will obviously hold for a while.
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Penfolds : Rewards of Patience: Perfumed violets, inkish dark round succulent berries and black currants. Deeply dark flavoured yet supple fruits all nicely balanced drinking now, providing for juicy long lasting gobs of joy!
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Really quite a nice wine. Kind of the velvet glove on a hammer - on one hand soft and feminine, on the other some serious punch. A virtual cornucopia of flavors, all reasonably subtle. Sorry I sold the rest of this on Vinfolio! A good drink, and a cost basis of $35 - even better.
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veery sweet dry red druits. Very balanced tannic structure with bakers spice, plum, and some mint/eucalyptus aftertones. Still very alive and very good.
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Keith's Blind Challenge (The Square, London): Keith's Blind Challenge. Full, deep red, still a touch of purple. Touch of banana on th enose. Looks so much younger than it turns out to be. Very new oak and sickly sweet. **(*1/2?) Very much divides the room.
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Quite a murky, black fruits nose, feeling very gamey. But on the palate, it's very fine indeed. There's quite a meaty feel, alongside really nice fruit and very good structure. Yummy.
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NobleRottersSydney - 20th Anniversary - 'Wow!' wines (Alio's, Surry Hills): (Coonawarra, Barossa, McLaren Vale) {cork, 13.5%} I’ve shared in about five Rotters’ bottles of this over about the same number of years – they’ve not all been as good as this one. Still a glowing ruby – no garnet here. Blackcurrant/cassis liqueur aromas of opaque richness leap from the glass. The oak here his been effortlessly consumed – there’s no vanilla frame to dominate the picture. The palate does have a mass of dusty tannin, but the full-bodied fruit carries it easily. The kaleidoscopic flavours maintain just enough austerity to remain truthful to their cabernet heritage – this is no concocted laboratory wine. Rich, ripe, majestic, regal, but with just a touch of the exotic. A Hispano-Suiza of a wine, in fact. Intense and powerful, with a long persistent and balanced finish, this will develop further – it’s part way between primary and secondary at the moment – and will likely provide top drinking for another quarter century at least. Magnificent.
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds 96-98 +ring-ins (Alio's, Surry Hills): (Coonawarra, Barossa, McLaren Vale) A clear rich garnet, solid right to the rim! It seems almost ludicrous to say that this wine still smells young at seventeen years old, but only in comparison to newly-bottled vintage could you call it ‘developed’. Liqueur-rich blueberry/blackberry nose. Less an expression of pure cabernet than of the richness of ripe South Australian fruit. The palate remains as absurdly fruity as the nose suggests, the texture is luscious and silky, despite the presence of strong powdery tannins. It’s weighty through the palate, but not clumsy – rather intense and concentrated. The oak is absorbed better than in the 92 – or should I say there’s enough fruit to carry it in this wine. The balance is lovely now, although development of complexity lags behind a bit still; that’s a function of time, in this case, rather than quality; for now it remains a plush sybaritic effort whose potential has still to be fulfilled. Generally acclaimed as Wine of the Night – although I reckon the 96 St Henri is a serious chance to trump it in the long run.
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Penfolds 1990 – Grange and Other Icons (Peter Gago) (Landmark Hotel, London): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon this wine is aged for 18 months in New American oak. As the premium Cabernet Sauvignon, it is not released in “bad” years. Deep purple in colour the nose shows dark chocolate, cedar and oak characters. The palate is full and mouth-filling with mocha characters.
Tasted at the “Penfolds 1990 – Grange and Other Icons” session hosted by Peter Gago at the Decanter New World Fine Wine Encounter, Landmark Hotel, London on the 19th of May 2007.
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Mount Mary Cabernet vs Penfolds 707: Restrained nose of tobacco, black fruits and a touch of American oak backing. The palate was quite fleshy and showed some richness to the fruit flavour. Dipped away at the end of the palate, finishing a bit short, but otherwise the balance was good and this had the stuffing to improve for another 5 years.
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Prunes and plumbs on the nose. Earth, blackberries and mint on the palate. Almost Shiraz like. Firm tannins. Very young tasting. Rich finish. Very well balanced for an Australian wine with nice acidity.
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Vintage Pairs Offline (Caldesi, London): Just a touch stinky on the nose, with sweet cassis and tobacco. Very ripe fruit on the palate. Very direct. Very straight and even with little development in the mouth. Very Good+
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wow. really opened up after decanting for one hour. after two hours was one of the best cab sav's i have tasted. very smooth and long finish. lives up to all reputations. pity i have only two more left then into later vintages.
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NobleRottersSydney - Lots of birthdays this year (Lucio's, Paddington): This is an impervious dark crimson red. The nose is a blast of sweet ripe blackberry/blackcurrant/jam fruit overlaid with forceful vanilla notes. As Darth Vader might say “The oak is strong in this one.” It’s high quality, but you’ve got to be sympathetic to oak to like this. On the palate it’s rich, powerful and chocolatey. There’s not so much secondary development as a mere lessening of the primary fruits. The wine is still very tannic. Mid-palate is yet more restrained than Moss Wood. Long ripe finish, nicely balanced at 13.5% alcohol, with plenty of time in front of it to improve further. Very good. We’ve drunk this wine three times in the past 5 years, and I still think the first of those was the best of them. This is not to be sniffed at, however (er..if you know what I mean)!
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Opaque red-purple color with a full concentrated body. Forward aroma of cassis and blackcurrant. Very concentrated and focused cabernet flavors on the palate without the Aussie mint. Still pretty wound up, will benefit from more time. 92pts. 12/00
Tasting Group - Group #4, my #1. Medium crimson with slight lightening at the endges. Wound up aroma of sweet red fruits and a hint of bell pepper. Rich nicely round red and black fruit. Very bordeaux like but with slightly more sweetness. Lovely. 94 pts. 1/05
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NobleRottersSydney - 1990 night (Lucio's, Paddington): Deep red. Yes, the vanilla oak is very much to the fore, supported by coconut and musk aromas. It’s a nose that exudes class, though. Full bodied and weighty, it’s hugely impressive, yet somehow less satisfying than the last bottle I tasted of this wine 3 years ago, which was somehow more complete and integrated. This bottle just seems to be a bit oakier, somehow. The blackcurrant fruits and underlying tarry notes are playing second fiddle here. Needs more time still.
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Dark red in the glass. Vanilla and gauze pads on the nose. Also some butcher notes to be found. Medium bodied, but very fat with glycerin. Lots of fresh, ripe fruit, and very well balanced. The tannins seemed smooth and round, and the wine had an excellently defined structure. It was a big surprise when this wine was revealed.
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 1992 (blind) (Darling Mills, Glebe): Dark coffee/chocolate nose. Stunning integration of blackcurrant fruit and oak on palate. Tannins absolutely fine and focussed. Warm on palate, extraordinary length. Super wine. Surprisingly drinkable now, and a hard act to follow…
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12/10/2023 - mattscellar Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pop and pour with sediment filtered.
Faded fruit, long finish and soft tannins. Good but past peak, with no improvement over an hour; unable to verify whether this is down to bottle (storage) or the wine itself.
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8/6/2023 - jskuek Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still young and drinking beautifully after 3 hours bottle breath ...
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2/7/2022 - KeepItSimple Likes this wine: 95 Points
Paired with Sassicaia 2003 & Lynch-Bages 1989, this Penfolds was more exuberant than the other 2. Still young age at 32. Plum, dark cherry. I decanted for about 2 hours. Could have been a little more. Gorgeous wine.
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10/8/2021 - salua wrote: 96 Points
This is a seriously good wine. It shows what Oz cabernet can do with the right fruit and skill. 31 years old and still plenty of life ahead. Lovely dusty developed cab nose, full on fruit on the front, well balanced through the middle and a long, long lovely finish. Absolutely no rush to drink this wine if you are lucky enough to have any left. I bought a dozen on release and still have several to enjoy over the next 10 years
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8/22/2021 - Herb K Likes this wine:
Wine is amazing at 31 years old and still has 10-15-years to go. Who says Grange is the Penfolds wine that ages?
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2/12/2021 - Leto South wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 3 hrs. Cork a bit iffy. Blackish red, dense, brown edge. Large bq w blackberries, dark cherries, touch of cedar, touch of herbal (lavender), sweet pipe tobacco. Rounded, well integrated tannins, elegant acidity, layers of ripe black fruit, very well balanced. Long aftertaste w complexity. Fully mature, but will last a few more years. Lovely!!
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1/8/2021 - salua wrote: 95 Points
double decanted 2 hrs. Solid cork. Nose surprisingly still a bit closed at first. About an hour later the wine had fully opened up. lovely soft fine grained tannins. Well balanced fruit that follows thru to a long finish. Very impressive for a 30 yr old cab. Fully developed but should hold for many years. Great wine
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12/27/2020 - Johno's Cellar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Truly amazing wine. On opening it smelt of rich ripe blue berries and mulberries with vanilla and chocolate mixed in as well. It was airated and then had 2 hrs in a decanter. While it’s an old wine it showed no feebleness with great structure and breadth of flavours with numerous layers of fruit and oak integration. This wine had great length and texture and left you wanting another mouthful. It’s middle age in its life I think and I look forward to seeing my last one in a few more years.
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9/6/2020 - rgawlowski Likes this wine: 94 Points
At first, I thought past it’s prime, but turned out beautiful in two hours; still has life; great balance, classic cab tones, fruit, finish.
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2/13/2020 - mnh wrote: 91 Points
Excellent. A bit of mint.
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8/23/2019 - HarveyManfrenjensenden Likes this wine: 94 Points
A lovely wine but limited duration out of the bottle, starting to fade within a few hours. Perhaps a few more years of cellaring is possible, but better to drink this vintage now
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8/21/2019 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 93 Points
Perhaps lacking a tiny freshness but still hanging together beautifully for a while this age - impressive. Only a short decant. A touch flat but fruited and nice overall mouthfeel. Dark fruits and dry to wood spices.
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2/27/2019 - hllam wrote:
good but not as expect,
may be over the peak
C/P is low
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2/5/2019 - Wozza Likes this wine: 97 Points
Very few Cab Sauvs at 29 years would be this fresh, balanced and satisfying.
A hypnotic nose of blue, black and red fruits, aniseed, coffee, wood smoke, mint, barnyard and baking spice fill the senses. Immediately your emotions are invoked. This is ultra premium fare. Glossy, uber-fine, silky tannins tantilize your palate. Such balance. And beautifully ripe blackberry, raspberry and plum notes emblazon the big pepper drive, and the long and detailed finish, complete with coconut oil and vanilla tones.
Simply devine. A Wozza 97.5/100 (4.7/5.0) from me. Drink 2015-2025. Such a shame recent Penfolds price inflation has taken the more recent 707s beyond all but the super wealthy.
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1/25/2019 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted blind. At Chateau Davyd belated Bday Bordeaux celebration.
Appearance fine sediments, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of chocolate, cassis, black cherries, dark red cherries, sarsparilla, minty herbs - eucalyptus with more air. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (13.5%), plush velvety high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with layers of flavours of salty black olives, minty herbs, eucalyptus, black cherries, blackcurrants, dark red cherries, cassis, sarsparilla, spice, sweet chocolate. So many things that I lose track. Long velvety finish.
Outstanding quality. Highly impressive. Drinking at peak now and feels like it can still hold at this plateau for a few more good years. Amazing longevity for this iconic Aussie Cab.
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1/22/2019 - Bressler Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 30 mins. It was surprisingly European and delicious. After another hour or so, it began to pick up that sweetness that is more characteristic of Australian wines. If I had another, I would drink it soon and maybe with even less time in the decanter.
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10/28/2017 - thebatcavewines Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted for 7 hours before the ride began. Soft light colour with a hint of blood. Soft blackcurrant and blueberries on the nose. Extremely smooth & well balanced. Soft tannin's with a slight earthy finish. Short/medium length. A very nice drop. Shared with family at a combined B'day for 3. It's not going to develop further so it's ready to drink now.
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7/27/2017 - Neecies Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lifted notes of eucalyptus with notes of red plums and black currants. Intense concentration and seductive tannins. Exceptional.
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7/20/2017 - David J Cooper wrote: 95 Points
Dark red with lighter purple edges. Medium intense nose with intense concentration. Eucalyptus and rich berry fruit, hints of cassis, scorched earth and thyme. Long concentrated dark berry flavours finishing with a bit of menthol. Long tannic finish.
Just beginning to enter it's drinking window.
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6/3/2016 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 30 minutes prior to serving. Drinking beautifully at one hour open.
Opaque black heart of dark red lightens towards a burnt orange translucent rim.
Menthol, cassis, raisins, dark chocolate initial thoughts rising from the glassware.
Leather, blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate and mocha fine tannins intoxicate the palate and smooth the way to refreshing acidity through the endless finish, at 26 years of age.
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5/18/2016 - AHVinoFile Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep dark crimson, purple edge. Plummy ripe blackcurrant bouquet with scents of cassis, blackberry jam, bitter chocolate, licorice, praline & vanilla. Full, deep, intense, generous, supple, opulent & rich, sweet black fruit flavors showing little development other than some softening of the once substantial ripe tannins, velvety extracts & fine balancing acidity; a harmonious wine with power & substance. Long, lush & sumptuous finish.
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1/19/2016 - salua wrote: 94 Points
double decanted for 2 hours before dinner. Vanilla dominant subtle oak nose. Very Penfolds. Great fruit. Balanced yet strong tannins for a 26 yr old Cab. Surprised by the heat at first, but the alcohol came into balance at about 3 hours. Long full finish. Great wine. Will develop further. No rush on this wine. Cork was solid and no ullage. Very nice wine
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11/14/2015 - pcwoz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still loads of fruit. Much more time could be ahead of this.Darker fruits. Some secondary development. Still quite fresh. Very Penfolds.
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10/23/2015 - Marc wrote: 90 Points
Library Tasting with Geoff Kelly - 1990s - in memory of Ken Kirkpatrick (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Very dense colour. Creamy and cedary American oak. Spicy and mature palate with a soft finish. Tasted blind, this stuck out as classic Penfolds. The acid and rawness of the oak handling stick out on the end of the finish. This is massive, but for my tastes, currently unbalanced. Perhaps in 10 years the oak will marry with the fruit in a subtle manner, but currently, this is not the case. Still, this is impressive for its power of fruit expression, If not its subtlety of harmony.
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9/11/2015 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Keith's Blind Challenge 2015 (The Medlar, London): Blind. Dense, quite leggy, nicely dense and mineral. Cherry confiture. New world Cab Sauv. Alcoholic and leggy. Dense Coonawara. Not to my taste,but a good wine. ***(*)
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5/4/2015 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2005 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 13.5%} (Ronnie) Decanted at table. This was subtly but appreciably different to the first wine. It smelt a little clearer and more perfumed. On the palate it appeared to be slightly more tannic, which was a little odd, because this bottle was detectably cooler – 2-3C I reckon than the first. The wine shared absolutely the flavour spectrum of the first example; it was hardly different enough to call ‘contrast’. Just that little nuance. I wonder how much of the difference we identified was solely due to the temperature diference? Comparing these two bottles was like contrasting Pavarotti singing on Friday night with the same repertoire on Saturday…
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5/4/2015 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2005 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 13.5%} (Gordon) Double-decanted three hours prior. Fascinating tasting of a pair of well- (but separately) cellared bottles. First up; lovely currents, with a touch of twigs, herbs, basil. Sweet old US oak. Endlessly seductive aromas. The palate is a match; impeccably balanced; aging new-world cabernet (per the nose) seasoned with a little coconut. The texture is glossy and smooth; still with medium chalky tannins and medium acidity. Endless finish. Peerlessly aging great Australian cabernet. At peak, seems possible to hold longer but that’s taking a risk.
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2/14/2015 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 93 Points
Plenty of fuit left. Dense and lifted.
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1/21/2015 - Herb K wrote:
Never a doubt how good this would be....
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8/24/2014 - adnielsen Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bottle @ Doodler. Thanks. Spicy black cherry, black raspberry, slight leather aroma. Moderate tannins. Dark chocolate, bright black cherry, blackberry flavor. Smooth and delicious
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6/20/2014 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 93 Points
Jason's Birthday Celebration (Tonny Restaurant & Pine Close): Appearance is clear, deep intensity, garnet colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of toasted oak, sweet blackberries and blackcurrant, dried leaves. Developing.
On the palate, medium+ acidity, medium+ alcohol, mellow medium tannins, full body. Initially tasted tired and had a sour taste on the finish. However, after 1 hour in the decanter, this sour note disappeared and the wine seemed to come to life with more freshness.
Medium+ flavor intensity, with flavours of toasted oak, sweet blackberries and blackcurrant, blueberries, prunes, dried leaves, graphite, and hints of chocolate. Pleasing mouth-feel. Long finish.
Outstanding quality Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon that has lasted 24 years. I find it hard to predict how long more this wine could go. A very interesting and complex profile.
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7/16/2013 - Davyd Chong Likes this wine: 95 Points
The aroma of this wine was truly intoxicating. Extremely fruity and plummy with a hint of lime on the nose. Taste was complex, mellow (tired?), smooth, the tannins were settled, some chocolate and oak notes. Somewhat like a cross between Langmeil and an Elderton, but more refined. I loved the finish. Very easy to drink. Should drink up, I think this wine is at the brink of fading.
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5/5/2013 - empire80 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Slightly tawny colour and clear rim. Gentle oak, coconut and black fruit on the nose. Blackcurrant flavour still evident, tannins very gentle, slightly acidic finish detracts from the overall experience.
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2/10/2013 - Peech wrote: 91 Points
vanilla, lots of coconut butter, black fruits. Acidity was high initially but there was still a good amount of body and concentration. Later on some coffee notes and a little smoke. Died on the palate after about 2 hours.
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7/2/2012 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Best Oz vintages 90-02 (Alio's, Surry Hills): [13.5%, cork] {Gordon} Bottle 51271. Double-decanted a few hours before. Aged nose; classy. A kaleidescope of black fruits, vanilla, oak; but deeply and seductively aromatic. Palate is equally wonderful; the mix of cool and warm-climate cabernet flavours works a treat with rich sweet oak (not over-done), medium dusty tannins, and medium-full weight. All the palate is engaged by what is a fairly smooth texture; some at table felt it a little too soft. For me the more you sniffed and tasted, the more there was to this wine. Very special. Close to peak, surely, but will obviously hold for a while.
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12/19/2011 - burgboy wrote: 94 Points
Drinking perfectly with typical Penfolds nose. Flavors of rich berries and fruit remain. A wow wine!
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5/4/2010 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
Penfolds : Rewards of Patience: Perfumed violets, inkish dark round succulent berries and black currants. Deeply dark flavoured yet supple fruits all nicely balanced drinking now, providing for juicy long lasting gobs of joy!
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2/19/2010 - BradE wrote:
Really quite a nice wine. Kind of the velvet glove on a hammer - on one hand soft and feminine, on the other some serious punch. A virtual cornucopia of flavors, all reasonably subtle. Sorry I sold the rest of this on Vinfolio! A good drink, and a cost basis of $35 - even better.
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12/19/2009 - zimmy07 wrote:
veery sweet dry red druits. Very balanced tannic structure with bakers spice, plum, and some mint/eucalyptus aftertones. Still very alive and very good.
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7/24/2009 - SimonG wrote:
Keith's Blind Challenge (The Square, London): Keith's Blind Challenge. Full, deep red, still a touch of purple. Touch of banana on th enose. Looks so much younger than it turns out to be. Very new oak and sickly sweet. **(*1/2?) Very much divides the room.
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6/5/2009 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 93 Points
Quite a murky, black fruits nose, feeling very gamey. But on the palate, it's very fine indeed. There's quite a meaty feel, alongside really nice fruit and very good structure. Yummy.
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2/4/2008 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - 20th Anniversary - 'Wow!' wines (Alio's, Surry Hills): (Coonawarra, Barossa, McLaren Vale) {cork, 13.5%} I’ve shared in about five Rotters’ bottles of this over about the same number of years – they’ve not all been as good as this one. Still a glowing ruby – no garnet here. Blackcurrant/cassis liqueur aromas of opaque richness leap from the glass. The oak here his been effortlessly consumed – there’s no vanilla frame to dominate the picture. The palate does have a mass of dusty tannin, but the full-bodied fruit carries it easily. The kaleidoscopic flavours maintain just enough austerity to remain truthful to their cabernet heritage – this is no concocted laboratory wine. Rich, ripe, majestic, regal, but with just a touch of the exotic. A Hispano-Suiza of a wine, in fact. Intense and powerful, with a long persistent and balanced finish, this will develop further – it’s part way between primary and secondary at the moment – and will likely provide top drinking for another quarter century at least. Magnificent.
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8/6/2007 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds 96-98 +ring-ins (Alio's, Surry Hills): (Coonawarra, Barossa, McLaren Vale) A clear rich garnet, solid right to the rim! It seems almost ludicrous to say that this wine still smells young at seventeen years old, but only in comparison to newly-bottled vintage could you call it ‘developed’. Liqueur-rich blueberry/blackberry nose. Less an expression of pure cabernet than of the richness of ripe South Australian fruit. The palate remains as absurdly fruity as the nose suggests, the texture is luscious and silky, despite the presence of strong powdery tannins. It’s weighty through the palate, but not clumsy – rather intense and concentrated. The oak is absorbed better than in the 92 – or should I say there’s enough fruit to carry it in this wine. The balance is lovely now, although development of complexity lags behind a bit still; that’s a function of time, in this case, rather than quality; for now it remains a plush sybaritic effort whose potential has still to be fulfilled. Generally acclaimed as Wine of the Night – although I reckon the 96 St Henri is a serious chance to trump it in the long run.
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5/19/2007 - jamieirving wrote: 89 Points
Penfolds 1990 – Grange and Other Icons (Peter Gago) (Landmark Hotel, London): Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon this wine is aged for 18 months in New American oak. As the premium Cabernet Sauvignon, it is not released in “bad” years. Deep purple in colour the nose shows dark chocolate, cedar and oak characters. The palate is full and mouth-filling with mocha characters.
Tasted at the “Penfolds 1990 – Grange and Other Icons” session hosted by Peter Gago at the Decanter New World Fine Wine Encounter, Landmark Hotel, London on the 19th of May 2007.
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3/11/2007 - CamWheeler wrote: 88 Points
Mount Mary Cabernet vs Penfolds 707: Restrained nose of tobacco, black fruits and a touch of American oak backing. The palate was quite fleshy and showed some richness to the fruit flavour. Dipped away at the end of the palate, finishing a bit short, but otherwise the balance was good and this had the stuffing to improve for another 5 years.
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3/10/2007 - kstoddard wrote: 92 Points
Prunes and plumbs on the nose. Earth, blackberries and mint on the palate. Almost Shiraz like. Firm tannins. Very young tasting. Rich finish. Very well balanced for an Australian wine with nice acidity.
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7/15/2006 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 87 Points
Vintage Pairs Offline (Caldesi, London): Just a touch stinky on the nose, with sweet cassis and tobacco. Very ripe fruit on the palate. Very direct. Very straight and even with little development in the mouth. Very Good+
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5/19/2006 - djevans70@bigpond.com wrote: 97 Points
wow. really opened up after decanting for one hour. after two hours was one of the best cab sav's i have tasted. very smooth and long finish. lives up to all reputations. pity i have only two more left then into later vintages.
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2/7/2005 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Lots of birthdays this year (Lucio's, Paddington): This is an impervious dark crimson red. The nose is a blast of sweet ripe blackberry/blackcurrant/jam fruit overlaid with forceful vanilla notes. As Darth Vader might say “The oak is strong in this one.” It’s high quality, but you’ve got to be sympathetic to oak to like this. On the palate it’s rich, powerful and chocolatey. There’s not so much secondary development as a mere lessening of the primary fruits. The wine is still very tannic. Mid-palate is yet more restrained than Moss Wood. Long ripe finish, nicely balanced at 13.5% alcohol, with plenty of time in front of it to improve further. Very good. We’ve drunk this wine three times in the past 5 years, and I still think the first of those was the best of them. This is not to be sniffed at, however (er..if you know what I mean)!
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1/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Opaque red-purple color with a full concentrated body. Forward aroma of cassis and blackcurrant. Very concentrated and focused cabernet flavors on the palate without the Aussie mint. Still pretty wound up, will benefit from more time. 92pts. 12/00
Tasting Group - Group #4, my #1. Medium crimson with slight lightening at the endges. Wound up aroma of sweet red fruits and a hint of bell pepper. Rich nicely round red and black fruit. Very bordeaux like but with slightly more sweetness. Lovely. 94 pts. 1/05
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8/2/2004 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - 1990 night (Lucio's, Paddington): Deep red. Yes, the vanilla oak is very much to the fore, supported by coconut and musk aromas. It’s a nose that exudes class, though. Full bodied and weighty, it’s hugely impressive, yet somehow less satisfying than the last bottle I tasted of this wine 3 years ago, which was somehow more complete and integrated. This bottle just seems to be a bit oakier, somehow. The blackcurrant fruits and underlying tarry notes are playing second fiddle here. Needs more time still.
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3/8/2003 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 93 Points
Dark red in the glass. Vanilla and gauze pads on the nose. Also some butcher notes to be found. Medium bodied, but very fat with glycerin. Lots of fresh, ripe fruit, and very well balanced. The tannins seemed smooth and round, and the wine had an excellently defined structure. It was a big surprise when this wine was revealed.
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8/7/2000 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 1992 (blind) (Darling Mills, Glebe): Dark coffee/chocolate nose. Stunning integration of blackcurrant fruit and oak on palate. Tannins absolutely fine and focussed. Warm on palate, extraordinary length. Super wine. Surprisingly drinkable now, and a hard act to follow…
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3/1/1997 - mnh wrote:
Youthful, well balanced
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